Wichita State News: Faculty/Staff

Faculty soloists headline WSU orchestra concert

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 02:14:00 CST

A symphony and an array of musical theater selections will highlight Wichita State University's Summer Symphony Orchestra concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, in Miller Concert Hall.

Admission is $3 for students, $6 for seniors, military and Wichita State faculty and staff, and $7 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased through the College of Fine Arts Box Office at 316-978-3233 or wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice.

Mark Laycock

Mark Laycock, associate professor of music at WSU, will direct the program; faculty artists Emily Sternfeld-Dunn, soprano, and Randolph Tracy, tenor, will perform vocal solos and duets.

The concert will feature "Symphony No. 8 in G Major" by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak, American musical theater selections by George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and Beethoven's "Egmont Overture."

WSU's Ravi Pendse takes position at Brown University

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 10:14:00 CST

Ravi Pendse

Ravi Pendse, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at Wichita State University, has been named vice president for computing and information services at Brown University.

He will begin his duties at Brown on Sept. 1.

A specialist in computer networking and information technology in higher education, Pendse has served in a number of information technology areas, from library systems to digital classroom design and comprehensive campus IT planning.

He is a Cisco Fellow and tenured full professor in Wichita State's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Pendse regularly teaches courses and has won awards for teaching excellence, including the Academy for Effective Teaching Award.

As vice president for information technology and chief information officer at WSU since 2011, Pendse has led a number of successful interdepartmental collaborations that have developed a broad implementation of IT resources on campus.

Wichita State became 100 percent wireless in August 2007, connecting all academic and administrative buildings and residence halls. Pendse also led a faculty task force that developed IT-equipped classrooms and standardized the user interface.

"Ravi has great talent, and while I very much hate to lose him, Brown University is a world class university that obviously has recognized his ability," Wichita State President John Bardo said. "It also should be noted that Ravi's Ph.D. is from WSU, so one of our graduates will now assume a major role in an Ivy League university. All of us at WSU wish him well and look forward to seeing his career continue to blossom."

Assistant WSU music professor wins national composition award

Tue, 2 Jul 2013 14:31:00 CST

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn, assistant professor of composition, music theory and technology at Wichita State University, has won the 2013 American Prize in composition for his saxophone concerto "Fireworks."

Victor Markovich, Wichita State's director of bands, and Robert Young, former WSU assistant professor of saxophone, commissioned and premiered the work.

Sternfeld-Dunn's music combines a frenetic rhythmic language, lean textures and lyrical sensitivity. It has been performed nationally and internationally by ensembles and organizations including the Kiev Philharmonic, Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, Yale Brass Trio, Conundrum Ensemble and the Interlochen Chamber Players.

The American Prize is a series of national performing arts competitions that provide evaluation, recognition and reward to artists, ensembles and composers in the United States.

For more information on Sternfeld-Dunn's award and the American Prize, go to www.theamericanprize.blogspot.com.

Future psychologists gain experience in internship program

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:00:00 CST

When Adam Bradford began applying for internships to complete his psychology doctorate, he did not know where he would land a year-long position; neither did doctoral candidate Kori Bennett.

Now, both Bradford and Bennett are interns in the Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program (WCPIP). Wichita State University's Counseling and Testing Center is one of five agencies in WCPIP.

Bradford works for COMCARE of Sedgwick County and Prairie View Inc.; Bennett interns at Wichita State's CTC and COMCARE.

Bradford, who will receive his doctorate from Midwestern University in Glendale, Ariz., said he appreciates the diversity in work experience and supervision, and the camaraderie amongst his fellow interns.

"One of the greatest benefits of WCPIP I've noticed is the cohort," he said. "This is an amazing group of future doctors."

Interns in the program work primarily at one agency throughout the year; however, they also have the opportunity to work at a secondary location, or "switch site," which allows for broadened clinical training and experience.

Bennett, a student at the University of Indianapolis, can recognize areas of professional growth and is prepared to enter into the next career phase.

"In addition to providing psychotherapy and assessment services in the CTC, I've had the chance to interact with WSU students and staff members through multiple outreach efforts," said Bennett. "These experiences have fostered in me a deep appreciation for the WSU community."

About WCPIP

The five agencies that make up the Wichita Collaborative Psychology Internship Program are COMCARE of Sedgwick County, Prairie View Inc., South Central Mental Health Counseling Center of Butler County, WSU's Counseling and Testing Center and University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita.

"WCPIP is unique in that many other programs are located at only one site," said clinical psychologist Jessica Provines, WCPIP training director and associate director for Wichita State's CTC. "The fact that we collaborate with our community partners gives future psychologists varied training experiences to draw from in multiple settings."

Each year, the internship program receives around 150 applicants from doctoral clinical, counseling and educational psychology programs across the country, and accepts only about 10 students.

During summer 2012, the American Psychological Association (APA) reaccredited WCPIP for seven more years—the highest number of years the association can grant a program. As of August 2013, about 425 psychologists will have completed their internships with WCPIP, the most famous being psychologist Albert Bandura.

"The program has a huge impact on mental health services in Wichita," said Provines. "It is the most important factor in recruiting psychologists to our community. Many Wichita psychologists are WCPIP grads."

WCPIP first received accreditation from the APA in 1953, making it the first accredited consortia in the United States.

Wichita State University's new chief of police is a tough trailblazer

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:22:00 CST

Sara Morris, the new chief of police at Wichita State University, used to put killers in prison.

In the 1990s, while six months pregnant and working for the Wichita police, she helped put Michael Marsh of Wichita in prison for life. She talked to him ever so softly and somehow got him to admit how he'd shot a young mother and burned her little girl alive.
Criminal justice leaders loved her.

Paul Dotson, a top commander at the Wichita Police Department for years, made her the first person ever promoted directly from street cop to robbery-homicide detective. She was also Wichita's first female homicide detective, and first female police captain, he said.

Read full story

Scherz named new WSU faculty athletic representative

Thu, 6 Jun 2013 07:00:00 CST

Julie Scherz

For the first time in nearly 40 years, Wichita State University has a new faculty representative for athletics.

Julie Scherz, associate professor in communication disorders and sciences, has assumed the role handled the past 38 years by Marty Perline, who has stepped down.

However, Perline will continue as an economics professor in the Barton School of Business.

Scherz was recommended to President John Bardo by Athletic Director Eric Sexton. She assumed her additional responsibilities on June 1. The appointment is made annually, although Scherz has made a three-year commitment to the position.

"On behalf of the thousands of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, staff and fans that make up the Shocker Nation, I would like to thank Marty for his service to Wichita State Athletics as the faculty representative," said Sexton. "Wichita State is better because of his dedication to the position. He, and his wife, Donna, have also been a fixture at athletic events, and we look forward to continue to see them cheering on the Shockers."

Scherz is currently a member of the InterCollegiate Athletic Association Board at Wichita State, and is no stranger to WSU athletics.

"I am extremely pleased with the appointment of Julie Scherz to the faculty rep post," said Sexton. "She has been a member of the InterCollegiate Athletic Association since 2010, and has great input. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff will find her an asset and a great communicator. We all look forward to working more closely with her in this capacity."

Liasison between academics, athletics

The primary focus of the position is to serve as the liaison between academics and athletics.

"I see my primary responsibility as assuring a positive overall experience for WSU's student-athletes," said Scherz. "I am eager to begin working with the terrific staff in the athletic department who oversee the real work in this endeavor."

Scherz enjoys following Shocker athletics. However, Scherz claims she isn't receiving this appointment for her athleticism, jokingly describing herself as a klutz.

Each semester the faculty athletic representative certifies eligibility for all athletes and all teams. The representative also meets with all new athletes at their orientation meeting.

In addition, Scherz will attend various Missouri Valley Conference meetings and meet with the athletic director, staff and coaches as needed.

Wichita State promotes Sara Morris to University Police chief

Wed, 5 Jun 2013 07:00:00 CST

Sara Morris

Wichita State's chief of university police Paul Dotson announced his retirement, effective June 8. He will be replaced by Sara Morris, a captain in the University Police Department for the past eight years, according to Mary Herrin, vice president for administration and finance.

Dotson was chief of University Police for 10 years. He began his public safety services career in January 1978.

Morris has 28 years of law enforcement experience, including nine years in homicide. She will be the first woman university police chief at a Kansas Board of Regents school.

Morris was the first female robbery/homicide detective in the Wichita Police Department, and the first Wichita Police Department officer promoted directly to homicide.

In 20 years at the Wichita Police Department, Morris was a police officer, undercover officer, homicide detective, patrol sergeant and patrol lieutenant. She earned three Bronze Wreaths and other awards.

She earned her bachelor's degree from Kansas State University and her master's degree from Wichita State University.

Pickus named interim dean of College of Health Professions

Wed, 5 Jun 2013 07:00:00 CST

Keith Pickus

Keith Pickus has been named interim dean of Wichita State's College of Health Professions, effective Aug. 5. He will serve in that capacity for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Pickus will replace current dean Peter Cohen, who announced this past fall that he would step down from the dean position to assume a faculty role at WSU.

Pickus has served as interim provost since June 2011. Anthony Vizzini will assume the renamed position as vice president for academic affairs at Wichita State, effective July 1.

A national search for dean of the College of Health Professions is expected to resume later this year.

"Keith has worked well with the executive team, and he brings strong budgeting and management skills to the position," said President John Bardo. "During the next academic year, the college will be involved in extensive strategic planning, and Keith's background will be a significant asset in this process."

Academic career

Pickus' professional academic career began in 1991 as a lecturer in modern European, German and Jewish history at the University of Washington.

During the 1994-1995 academic year, he was a visiting professor at Montana State University, and he assumed a tenure-track position in the History Department at Wichita State University in 1995.

In 2000, Pickus began his formal administrative career, when he took on the role of graduate program coordinator for the History Department.

He was tenured and promoted to associate professor in fall 2001.

He served as associate dean for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 2001-2007, and as associate provost for Strategic Planning and Operations from 2007-2011.

Pickus earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with honors from the University of California-Santa Barbara.

He was awarded a Master of Arts in modern German history from the University of Washington in 1988.

Pickus completed his doctoral program in modern European Jewish history at the University of Washington in June 1993.

African American business history is the focus of WSU project

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:00:00 CST

Robert Weems worries that the history of African American businesses in Wichita may someday be lost forever. That's why he's made it his mission to document all that he can.

Weems – the Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History at Wichita State – is coordinator of The Wichita African American Business History Project.

The goal of the project, which he has worked on since coming to WSU in 2011, is to document the role of business and entrepreneurship in the development of Wichita's African American community.

Weems has been conducting interviews and collecting related historical artifacts. When completed, he hopes to have recorded the history as spoken by 50 to 75 people. The interviews and artifacts will be housed in Ablah Library's Special Collections at WSU.

"My interest in undertaking this project is linked with my research in African American business history," Weems said. "This aspect of the African American historical experience remains one of the most understudied."

'Come and gone with barely a trace'

As late as the 1960s, there were 50 viable African American insurance companies in the United States; today there are two. Even more telling, Weems said, is that only four African American-owned insurance companies have had their histories documented in book-length manuscripts.

"It appears that this important phenomenon related to African American history has come and gone with barely a trace of its existence," he said.

Based on those national statistics, Weems is determined to document the history of African American enterprise locally.

Weems said the information he gathers will be an archive of materials that students and other scholars can use as a resource for future research papers, articles and books.

Some of the people Weems has interviewed include U.L. "Rip" Gooch, whose Aero Services Inc. was a pioneering fixed-based operation; Charles F. McAfee, a world-renowned architect based in Wichita; the recently-deceased Eugene "Genie" Jackson, whose grandfather Abner B. Jackson Sr. started Jackson Mortuary in 1926; Frankie Howard Mason, whose mother Xavia Howard was the first Afican American woman in Kansas to hold a dual license as a funeral director and embalmer; and Robert Alford, whose Wichita lighting company was the first business of this type owned by an African American in the United States.

"In the end, my methodology of conducting individual interviews, along with gathering pertinent business artifacts, should result in a database of materials that will be both useful to students and scholars, as well as help document an important aspect of Wichita history," Weems said.

Acting director named for WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship

Wed, 29 May 2013 10:21:00 CST

Lou Heldman

Lou Heldman, an experienced business and campus leader, has been named acting director of the Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship, effective June 2.

His appointment was announced by Cindy Claycomb, interim dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, and Keith Pickus, interim provost of the university.

The center is part of the Barton School.

"Lou's extensive management experience and business contacts will be helpful in advancing the center's mission to encourage entrepreneurial thinking through education, research and community outreach," said Claycomb.

Heldman led the Elliott School of Communication the past two years as interim director.

Heldman had a career in newspapers and websites before coming to Wichita at the beginning of 2002 as president and publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com. He retired from the Eagle in 2007 and joined WSU as Distinguished Senior Fellow in Media Management and Journalism.

In the Elliott School, he has taught courses focusing on the impact of the Internet on media, business and society. In the Barton School, he has conducted seminars for the Center for Entrepreneurship and the Center for Management Development. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.

"I have had a strong interest in the Center for Entrepreneurship since arriving in Wichita," said Heldman. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the talented staff of the center and the faculty of the Barton School to extend Wichita State's support of the Kansas economy."

Lefever-Davis named interim dean for College of Education

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:30:00 CST

Shirley Lefever-Davis

Shirley Lefever-Davis has been named interim dean of the College of Education effective June 9, according to Keith Pickus, interim provost at Wichita State University.

Lefever-Davis will be interim dean for the 2013-2014 academic year while a national search is conducted for a permanent dean.

The change was necessitated when Sharon Iorio, the current dean, announced she will step down as dean at the end of this fiscal year and begin a phased retirement for two years. Iorio has served as dean for the past six years.

"Dr. Lefever-Davis' experience, derived from being department chair and associate dean, will enable her to step into the interim dean role with minimal difficulty," said Pickus. "In addition, she has leadership skills that will serve her well in this position."

Lefever-Davis is currently senior associate dean and professor in the College of Education, with responsibility for assessment and accreditation.

She came to Wichita State in July 2005 to serve as department chair for curriculum and instruction. She was named associate dean for the College of Education with responsibility for undergraduate programs in 2008 and moved to the senior associate dean position in 2012.

Lefever-Davis received her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University in 1991. Her master's and bachelor's degrees also are from KSU.

She serves on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Association of Teacher Educators Commission for Graduate Education, and was on the Board of Directors for the Association of Teacher Educators from 2009-2012.

Prior to coming to Wichita State, Lefever-Davis gained experience in higher education with 14 years at the University of Arkansas, where she was awarded the Outstanding Teaching Award for the College of Education and Health Professions in 1996.

She has presented and published on a range of topics, including Professional Development Schools, early literacy and strategies to promote the literacy development of English language learners and struggling readers.

Veteran still breaking ground after 30 years of research

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:02:00 CST

Ken Pitetti

Ken Pitetti, a professor of physical therapy at Wichita State University, has dedicated his career to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities — a career that, he supposes, began as a platoon leader of the 101st Airborne, when he lost part of his right leg in the jungles of Vietnam.

The post-Vietnam War era was a hard time in America for veterans such as Pitetti.

"This country spat on us, literally and figuratively, after the war," Pitetti said, lamenting the poor treatment of veterans — able and disabled alike.

In 1983, while working on his doctoral dissertation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, his prosthetic leg began to deteriorate. Pitetti went to the prosthetic clinic at the VA Medical Center in Dallas to see about getting a replacement. It just so happened that he had his text books with him.

Frank Gottschalk, attending physician of the prosthetic clinic, noticed his biochemistry book and started and talking with him about the frequency with which disabled veterans were showing up at hospitals with signs of heart disease and early onset diabetes. Gottschalk offered Pitetti the chance to helm a research study on the subject on the spot, which led to the two of them co-authoring a study on aerobic training improving fitness in lower extremity amputees.

That study began a prolific career of research and study covering a spectrum of physical and mental disabilities, from the effects of treadmill training on children with cerebral palsy to a study of physical fitness and activity in children with Down Syndrome.

An impressive work ethic

Pitetti's body of work, as well as his work ethic, continue to impress and inspire his Wichita State colleagues, including Dr. Cam Wilson, chair of the department of Physical Therapy.

"He is an amazing individual," she said, "If you looked up master teacher in the dictionary, there ought to be a picture of Ken's face."

Some of Pitetti's current research, in keeping with much of the rest of his career, is involved in developing a manual to evaluate the balance and coordination of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

In addition to his work at Wichita State, Pitetti also works with the Association of Retarded Citizens of Sedgwick County's Youth Education Summer Socialization Program (YESS.) YESS is a 9-week summer education and recreation program designed to help students retain information learned in school and to improve social and communicative skills.

Prime of his career

Pitetti's work has helped more than just students in Sedgwick County — his work, and the work of his colleagues, has provided indispensable to the field.

"Twenty years ago we had no insight into the physical capabilities of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities," he said. "Since then, volumes have been written and published, and much is known about the truly amazing capacities of these young people."

At 66, Pitetti's career has shown no signs of slowing down — having co-authored nearly 40 research studies since 2002 alone with no plans of calling it quits any time soon.

"I feel in the prime of my career right now," Pitetti said. "I'm getting paid to do what I love, so why stop?"

He wasn't always so sure though. Pitetti had contemplated retirement in the past, and talked it over with friends and family, but jokingly attributes Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder as his inspiration to stay on.

"He's 74 years old and he just signed on for five more years," Pitetti said, laughing.

History professor's research took her to Mongolia, Siberia

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:56:00 CST

Wichita State Russian history professor Helen Hundley spent last summer in the highlands of Mongolia and Siberia. Hundley's latest research trip took her from the plains and prairies of Kansas to the steppes and mountains of northern Mongolia and Siberia.

Since she returned, Hundley has been working on two books detailing her research, and will soon start looking for funding for her next trip.

Landing at Genghis Khan International airport in Mongolia's capital city of Ulan Batar, Hundley began a month-long study of the resurgence of Buddhism and Buddhist imagery and symbols in the former Soviet Union.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, a "Buddhist explosion," as Hundley described it, has spread across the region in much the same way as it did originally from China. This new form of "public Buddhism," Hundley said, has changed the physical and cultural landscape of Mongolia and Siberia alike.

One of the principal reasons for Hundley's trip was the study of roadside prayer shrines called oovoos. These structures, to a casual observer, might look like a pile of stones and wood covered in strips of brightly colored fabric. In actuality, oovoos are a tangible symbol of the resurgence of Buddhism in the region and are found on the side of roads all over Mongolia.

"The interesting thing is that none of these shrines existed 30 years ago," Hundley said. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, perhaps thousands of them have been built.

"There's a sense that the Soviets destroyed everyone's history here," Hundley said, and these shrines are just one way of getting it back.

"We can explain all of our art," Hundley said. "They can't do that there."

On a closer look, Hundley said, the stones of the shrines would be covered in prayers for everything from a good harvest, to hopes that a relative's chemotherapy treatments go well.

New signs

In a country where practicing Buddhism openly was once illegal, now signs and images of its practice are everywhere, Hundley said. From roadside oovoos to Buddhist prayer wheels for sale on street corners.

Even solar powered prayer wheels, Hundley said, can be found on the dashboards of almost any car, highlighting the fusion of ancient Buddhist traditions and the modern culture of Ulan Bataar.

Leaving Ulan Bataar, Hundley traveled north to Amarbayasgalant monastery. While Mongolia was under Communist rule, thousands of Buddhist monasteries were destroyed or converted to other uses. Amarbayasgalant was one of the few to survive and was a major stop on Hundley's trip.

While visiting the monastery, where Hundley said it wasn't uncommon to see a shaven-headed monk tapping away on his iPad, Hundley stayed in a ger camp— a collection of traditional circular wooden latticework buildings covered in layers of felt and painted in bright colors.

Ger camps are usually powered by gasoline generators, but being out in the country are prone to frequent power outages. Hundley fondly remembers one particular incident where, during a power outage, she and her hosts sat around the dinner table telling stories by candlelight and the light from smartphones.

Hospitality and thousands of years of history aside, there's another reason Hundley has been traveling to Mongolia whenever she could since 1992.

"I can't describe how beautiful it is there," Hundley said.

Such a captivating country is always hard for Hundley to leave, she said. The prospect of coming home again she likened to Cinderella's coach turning into a pumpkin at midnight.

WSU professor Wilson Baldridge receives fundraising award

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:30:00 CST

Wilson Baldridge, professor and chair of Modern and Classical Languages at Wichita State University, is the recipient of the WSU Foundation Faculty/Staff Fundraising Award.

The award was established to recognize WSU faculty or staff members who have played a key role in cultivating and securing a major gift for WSU.

This is the second year the award has been presented.

Read full story.

Faculty/staff news update: March/April 2013

Wed, 8 May 2013 13:26:00 CST

Academe welcomes news from WSU faculty and staff about research, teaching and service activities. This column recognizes grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and deaths of our current and former colleagues.

William Proctor Artz, instructional technologist and designer, School of Community Affairs, presented a paper "Secure Testing in the Virtual Classroom: Is It Even Possible?" at the Innovative Technology to Recharge and Connect (ITRAC) instructional technology conference on March 8.

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor of political science, was invited to present her research on U.S-Latin America relations at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in Washington, D.C., on March 27. In the framework of the seminar "China in Latin America: Public Impressions and Policy Implications" she compared public opinion in the Americas about the influence and role of China and the United States in the region. Watch the webcast here.

Michael Birzer

Michael Birzer, professor, School of Community Affairs, worked with the Wichita Police Department's Command Staff on organizational transformation and issues. He also recently received a $32,000 grant award from the Kansas Department of Transportation to continue his research on racial profiling across the state of Kansas.

Travis Bruce, assistant professor, history, has published a book about the trading community of Denia, a Muslim city state in al-Andalus in the Middle Ages, and the trade links and cultural ties between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

Amy Delamaide, director, community and organizational development, WSU Center for Community Support and Research, was recently named a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and is now certified to deliver BoardSource's signature nonprofit governance trainings in the Midwest and Great Plains area. BoardSource supports and promotes excellence in nonprofit board service by providing cutting-edge thinking and resources on board effectiveness and by engaging and developing the next generation of board leaders.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, earned four awards in the Kansas Professional Communicators 2012 contest: First and second in magazine page design; first in PR magazine (editing/creative direction); and second in magazine feature story. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas. At the invitation of the Center for Information and Resources for Development, he also traveled to Asuncion, Paraguay to participate in the Public Policy and Presidential Elections Project. This trip was the seventh of an eight-part series to educate and engage political activists on democracy, elections and public policy prior to upcoming elections in April 2013.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, and Misty Bruckner and Corinne Bannon, both from the Center for Urban Studies, collaborated with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County as part of a four-step process to guide a comprehensive plan update and to develop and implement a multiphase citizen engagement effort. Glaser was also recently appointed to the publication committee of the American Society for Public Administration. This is a prestigious appointment to the committee that oversees publication of the Public Administration Review, the top rated journal in the field.

Sabrina Perez Glatt, director of field practicum, School of Social Work, is the 2013recipient of the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to an unclassified professional who models the standard of extraordinary service.

Brandy Jackson, undergraduate program director, was approved to receive funding from the College of Health Professions' IPE Fund to support participation in the Team STEPPS training program at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Phyllis Jacobs, assistant professor, nursing, and her husband, Lou, are receiving the 2013 Joel A. Gingras, Jr. Award from the American Brain Tumor Association. The award recognizes individuals, organizations or groups who through philanthropy, advocacy, discovery or patient care and support, have had a transformative impact on the advancement of the mission of the American Brain Tumor Association. Phyllis and Lou have facilitated a brain tumor support group called Headstrong at Victory in the Valley in Wichita for the past 14 years. The Award will be given at the American Brain Tumor Association national conference in Chicago in July.

Kim Johnson, DNP Candidate, whose submission titled "Does primary care provider advance directive education influence attitudes and practice?," was accepted as a poster presentation at the Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. She was also selected to participate by WSU in the Rising Stars of Scholarship and Research Poster Program at Sigma Theta Tau International's 42nd Biennial Convention.

Stuart Lasine, professor of religion, has been elected vice president of the Society of Biblical Literature's southwest region. In 2014 he'll become president-elect and then in 2015, president.

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, Kelly Anderson (Dental Hygiene) and Mary Koehn (CHP IPE coordinator) abstract, "Making IPE Discipline Relevant" was accepted for presentation at the Collaborating Across Borders IV Conference in Canada.

Cheryl Miller, assistant dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned several awards in the 2012 Kansas Professional Communicators contest: First in personality profile, first in editing; second in advertising; and third in editing. Miller also received honorable mentions in feature writing, personality profile, and specialty articles - travel. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Pamela O'Neal, SON Academic Writing Specialist, and Michelle Dreiling, a graduate student at the Elliott School of Communication, were invited to Wiley College in Marshall TX to speak at the Ethical Student Leadership Conference about the WSU Hunger Awareness Initiative.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor; Carla A. Lee, Debbie Strickert and Margaret Trumpp are authors of an article entitled "Oral Care and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia-An Integrated Review of the Literature" accepted for publication in the forthcoming May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions in Critical Care Nursing.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, Adult Health & Illness Clinical nurse specialist program coordinator, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program coordinator, had two book chapters published. Steinke, E. E. (2014). Ineffective sexuality patterns. In B. Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook,10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 724-730. And Steinke, E. E. (2014). Sexual dysfunction. In B.Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 717-724.

DISTINGUISHED AND PHENOMENAL AWARDS
The Wichita State University Women's Association named its Distinguished Gentlemen Award winners in March. They are: Wilson Baldridge, chair, Modern & Classical Languages; Michael L. Birzer, professor, criminal justice/director SCA; William Bischoff, professor, geology; Buma Fridman, chair and professor, mathematics; Terre Johnson, vice president for major gifts, WSU Foundation; Chuck Koeber, associate dean, liberal arts, professor, sociology; Ron Matson, interim dean, liberal arts and sciences; Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts; Rick Muma, associate provost and professor, public health; Ravi Pendse, vice president, Information Technology, and chief information officer; Wade Robinson, vice president for Campus Life and University Relations; Mel Whiteside, director, engineering technology program;

The Office of Multicultural Affairs announced its Phenomenal Women of the Year at the fifth annual Phenomenal Women Award Recognition on March 14. Jean Patterson, from the Educational Leadership Department was awarded Faculty Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Frankie Brown, from Human Resources was awarded the Unclassified Professional Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Juanita Reed from the Alumni Association was awarded the Classified Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. These women were recognized along with five other nominees.

IN MEMORIAM

Ronald Christy, 63, business instructor at Wichita State University, died Monday, April 22. He is survived by a son, Cody; Cody's mother, Linda Pool; extended family members, Jamie Doss, Mary Giordenella Belden and Wanda Aikin, and their children Jordan Doss, Kaylee Doss, Brooklyn Aikin, Madison Aikin, Makenna Belden and Cade Belden, who referred to Mr. Christy as Grandpa. Mr. Christy was a pioneer in entrepreneurial education and was instrumental in helping Fran Jabara found WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship in 1977. Mr. Christy taught the widely acclaimed "Your Future in Business" class to thousands of Kansans in the 1970s and 1980s. He co-authored four books on entrepreneurship, was the recipient of the prestigious Sargent Americanism Award, as well as the Outstanding Teaching Award from the W. Frank Barton School of Business. As a businessman, he founded several businesses and was a sought after consultant for over 35 years. The Ron Christy Entrepreneurship Memorial has been established through the WSU Foundation. Donations can be sent to support this memorial, in lieu of flowers, to 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Services have been held.

Jeraldine Cobb, 77, retired, died April 15. Services have been held. Survivors: husband, James; sons, Terry (Diane) Evans, Larry Evans, Michael Cobb ; daughter, Jacqueline Cobb ; sister, Roberta (Lawrence) Crockett; brother, Claude (Linda) Dayton; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives, Strangers Rest family and friends.

Donald Leroy Foster, 77, retired Wichita State Physics professor, died Sunday, May 5. He taught at WSU for 39 years, where he served as department chair. He is preceded in death by parents, Raymond and Hilda Mae (McCrea) Foster. Mr. Foster is survived by his cherished wife, Deanna; sister, Susan A. Foster; children, Andrew (Amy) Foster, Matt (Lucinda) Foster, Brandie (Kevin Blount) French and Kelly French; 12 grandchildren, Josh, Nick, Jack, Ethan, Luke, Zach, Alex, Sebastian, Sofia, Evelyn, Levi and Lydia; and one great-grandchild. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9, followed by the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Memorials may be sent to National Parkinson Foundation, P.O. Box 51018, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741. Baker Funeral Home, Wichita.

Doris Kathleen "Kathy" Lewis, 73, former chair and associate professor, physical therapy, died March 11 in Peoria. Services have been held. She is survived by her daughter, Terri Lewis, and son-in-law, Daniel Angot, of Peoria; grandsons, Dustin and Jordan Angot; four brothers; two sisters; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program in Peoria.

Marguerite "Mickey" Miller, 92, professor emeritus and longtime former chair of keyboard, College of Fine Arts, died April 17. She was preceded in death by parents, Joe and Mary Smith; husband, Luther; and grandson, Brandon. Survivors include sons Joe of Wichita, Jay (Madeline) of Lake Forest, Ill., and Jon of Kechi; daughter, Jean Little (Kent) of Kechi; three grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, services will be private.

Gilbert "Gil" Perez, 61, WSU Environmental Scientist, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Perez; children, Paul (Annie) Perez, Angela Perez, Isaac (Crystal) Perez, all of Wichita; grandchildren, LaTaylah, Zayda, Adrian, Evan, Aiden, Brittany (Kade), Cidnie, Daphne, Emilie and Remi; mother, Beatrice Perez of Kinsley; brothers, John (Olga) Perez of Dodge City, Larry Perez of Kinsley, Tom (Diane) Perez of Dodge City; sisters, Rose Perez of Kinsley, Gloria (Joe) Lock of Lewis and Mary (Alvaro) Bencomo of Dodge City; many other family and friends. Services have been held. Memorials to Riverlawn Christian Church, 4243 N. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67204. Baker Funeral Home, Valley Center.