Wichita State News: Library

Faculty/staff news update: November 2012

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:37:00 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.

Alla Aranovskaya, Leonid Shukaev, Boris Vaynor and Evgeny Zvonniko, members of the St. Petersburg String Quartet in residence at WSU; the student Suprima Chamber Orchestra; Andrea Banke, Erika Binsley, Sarunas Jankauskas, Scott Oakes and Frances Shelly, members of the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet, and Julie Bees, Lynne Davis and Mark Foley performed by invitation in November at the 100th anniversary celebration of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, led a daylong workshop on Team Storytelling for 56 high school students from around the country at the National High School Journalism Convention in San Antonio in November. The convention, put on by the National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association, was attended by more than 5,000 high school journalism students and teachers.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "Falsification, Annual Targets, and Errant Leadership: What Really Happened in Atlanta" at the American Educational Studies Association conference held Nov. 1-4 in Seattle.

Dan Krutka, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, presented "Student Civil Liberties: Is Your School Violating Student Constitutional Rights?" and co-presented "Bayard Rustin and the Social Studies Curriculum: Thoughts about Citizenship in a Complex World" at the Kansas Council for the Social Studies in Topeka.

Gayla Lohfink, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, was co-author of "Developing cultural competence through problem posing and multicultural literature" in Advocate.

Joseph Mau, professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, and M.E. Yeager, postdoctoral fellow, were awarded the Kansas Educational Research Scholars Program award from the Kansas Board of Regents. The study is titled, "Factors influencing Kansas college students' choice of a STEM major and factors influencing their success in completing a STEM degree."

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, nursing, and Kelly Anderson, assistant professor and senior clinic coordinator, dental hygiene, received an Interprofessional National Oral Health Agenda Curricular Innovation Award, Oral Health Nursing Education Program and Practice Grant in August for $2,000.

Nancy McKeller, associate professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "Legal Issues that Impact School Psychological Practice" at the Kansas Association of School Psychologists annual conference in Lawrence this fall.

Rick Pappas, physical education educator, human performance studies, received the highest award made by the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (KAHPERD). The Wayne Osness award, which recognizes leadership and significant contributions, was presented to Pappas in November at the annual KAHPERD conference held in Lawrence.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor, nursing, published Collaborative Oral Health Care for Caregivers in an Assisted-Living Facility in the Journal of Nursing Education & Practice, Vol. 3, No. 3.

Susan Parsons, C. Lee and M. Trumpp, nursing, presented "Evidence-Based Practice: Ventilator Bundle to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia" to the Kansas State Nurses Association, Exhibit Session.

Jean Patterson, professor and chair, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "High School 21st Century Learning Initiatives as a Manifestation of Neoliberalism" at the American Educational Studies Association conference.

Jennifer Rodgers, clinical educator, nursing, gave a one-hour presentation, "Pulmonary Care Continuum: Hospital to Community," to the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative 4th Annual Summit on Quality, with Bobbie Starks, Darla Wilson and Amanda Hullet.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, and Dan Krutka, both curriculum and instruction, co-presented "A Freirean Analysis of Identity for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome," also at the Kansas Council for the Social Studies conference in Topeka.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing for her significant contributions to the profession of nursing and health care in general. Steinke, who attended the induction ceremony in October in Washington, D.C., is internationally renowned for bringing the science of sexuality and sexual counseling of cardiac patients to the forefront of cardiac practice.

Elaine Steinke presented "Psychology and sexual function: What do we know?" to the European Society of Cardiology 2012 Congress, Munich, Germany, in August.

Elaine Steinke, Victoria Mosack, associate professor, nursing, and Twyla J. Hill, professor, sociology, gave a poster presentation, "Sexual concerns of cardiac patients: A psychometric analysis," to the European Society of Cardiology, in Munich, Germany, in August.

John Tomblin

John Tomblin, executive director of WSU's National Institute for Aviation Research, has been named a Newsmaker for 2012 by the Wichita Business Journal. He and other 2012 Newsmakers will be recognized at a Jan. 29 event at Newman University.

Susan Unruh, assistant professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, was the WSU representative on a panel, "School Psychology Practice: Here I Come," at the Kansas Association of School Psychologists annual conference in Lawrence.

IN MEMORIAM

D. Ray Cook, 69, former team physician for Wichita State and longtime community doctor, died Nov. 7. Services have been held. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leon and Marie Cook. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Candi (Mark) Brown of Spring Hill, Kan.; son, Chad (Jill) Cook of Overland Park, Kan.; brother, Gene (Linda) Cook of Phoenix City, Ala.; grandchildren, Ben, Will, Graham and Betsy Brown, and Johnny Ray, Spencer, Freddie and Lucy Cook. The following memorial has been established: D. Ray Cook, M.D. Memorial Fund, c/o Christian Network Foundation, 17001 Prairie Star Pkwy, Suite 200, Lenexa, KS 66220.

Richard Allen Moellenberndt, 71, former professor of accounting, died Nov. 24 in Topeka. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; daughter, Sarah Moellenberndt; and sister, Eleanor Shaffer.

Linda Tedder, 60, senior research grants administrator in the Office of Research Administration, died Nov. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is preceded in death by her parents, Francis D. and Evelyn J. (Voran) Bornowsky. She is survived her son, Mike Tedder; grandchild, Lexi Tedder; great-grandchild, Jenna St. Martin; sisters, Paula Sullivan, Gail Roland, Mary Daugherty, Jean Kemp and Rita Winfrey; brothers, Ralph and Larry Bornowsky; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Kaylyn Turner, 70, former reference librarian, died Nov. 8. Services have been held. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Briggs and Ara Cron. Survivors are husband, Stanley; son, Joshua David (Tracy) Turner, Shawnee Mission; and grandchildren, Emily, Molly and Jack Turner. Memorials to Midland Baptist Church, 4200 N. Church Circle, Wichita, KS 67205.

Faculty/staff news update: October 2012

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:17:00 CST

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor, political science, was invited to form part of the Academic Council of the Latin American Association of Political Science. Based in Latin America and headquartered in Brazil, ALACIP gathers scholars linked to the world of political science in Latin America.

Deborah Ballard-Reisch

Deborah Ballard-Reisch, Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Chair in Strategic Communication and professor, Elliott School of Communication, received the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender's 2012 Teacher/ Mentor Award.

Seth Bate, community and organizational specialist, Center for Community Support and Research, recently published "Paul Mesner Puppets: Marking 25 Years in Kansas City." It is the cover story for the summer 2012 issue of The Puppetry Journal.

Fred Besthorn, associate professor, social work, was a featured keynote speaker at the recent Social Work and Social Development Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden. He is widely regarded as an expert in the field of environmental social work and has many published works addressing the interconnection of environmental awareness to the practice of social work.

Barb Chaparro, associate professor, psychology, has been named a 2012-2013 Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellow, a program sponsored by the Coleman Foundation to increase and build support for entrepreneurship education across the Wichita State University campus.

Sherry Chapman, instructor, social work, has established with Carolyn Shaw, associate professor, political science, the chartering of Pi Gamma Mu, an honorary society for social sciences at WSU. Chapman is also the secretary of the Kansas Association for Play Therapy.

Dan Close, associate professor, Elliott School of Communication, has been elected to the Kansas Sunshine Coalition's board of directors. The organization monitors and acts on complaints of open meetings/open records violations by governmental bodies and officials.

Nancy Deyoe, assistant dean for Technical Services, and Ginger Williams, associate professor, University Libraries, presented "Reaching Youth Through Diverse Collections and Teen/Community-Driven Programming" at the second National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color.

Steve Farmer, Barton Distinguished Chair in Business, has been invited to serve as associate editor of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes by the editor Xiao-Ping Chen, chair and professor, Department of Management and Organization, Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington. OBHDP is published by Elsevier.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, presented at the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College.

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, has published a science fiction novel, "The Blane Game." Gaunt's book will be available in local bookstores soon. For an advance copy, contact Gaunt at 978-6072.

Aimee Geist, curator of education at the Ulrich Museum of Art, was honored with the Outstanding Museum Art Educator from the Kansas Art Education Association at the group's annual fall conference Oct. 27 in Wichita.

Debbie Gordon, associate professor, women's studies, participated in the Ninth Annual Beirut Program in Beirut, Lebanon, a two-track exchange program of lectures and colloquia with leading professors and public intellectuals on Lebanon and the Arab world. The program also included meetings with social, political and economic leaders from across Lebanon's political spectrum.

Ruth Hitchcock, associate professor, Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational and School Psychology, graduated from the Leadership Academy sponsored by the Association for Play Therapy at its Oct. 9-14 conference in Cleveland, Ohio. The academy's six-month curriculum especially explores leadership concepts and the Policy Governance Model that defines organizational roles and responsibilities.

William Hendry, professor, biological sciences, procured a grant in the amount of $48,750 for "Translational Studies of Gynecological Cancer with a Unique in vivo System" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

Mary Liz Jameson, associate professor, biological sciences, Natural Science Collections Alliance member, testified before Congress about the need for digitizing science collection data.

Kyoung Lee, assistant professor, social work, became a commissioner on the Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice at the Council on Social Work Education.

Melissa Mallon, assistant professor and coordinator, library instruction, had an article, "The New Distance Learners: Providing Customized Online Research Assistance to Urban Students on the Go," published in Urban Library Journal.

Jeffrey May, biological sciences, procured a grant in the amount of $37,500 for "Diagnostic Relevance of Human Urinary FSH Glycoform Assessment to Ovarian Aging" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

Eunice Doman Myers, associate professor, Spanish, and associate dean, Liberal Arts and Sciences, gave a paper, "The Plight and Plots of African Immigrants in Angela Reyes' Los trenes de marzo (11-M)" at the Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literature at the University of Nebraska on Oct. 12.

Michael Palmiotto, professor, criminal justice, published the textbook "Criminal Investigations, Fourth Edition" CRC-Press, 2013, and the refereed article (co-authors D. Vejnovic and V. Lalic) "Policing Football Violence and Ethnic Hatred in Bosnia and Herzegovina": in Journal of Defendology, Volume XL, No. 32, 2012.

Michael Palmiotto was appointed editor of the Journal of Defendology in September. The journal is published in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Serbian and English.

Sabrina Perez-Glatt, field practicum coordinator, School of Social Work, has been appointed to the Sedgwick County Council on Aging.

Eric Wilson, instructor, Elliott School of Communication, was an invited presenter at the annual Bombardier Safety Standdown symposium. He partnered with two Bombardier staff members to present "Beyond the Scene of the Accident," a half-day workshop on aviation media relations and crisis communication.

Li Yao, biological sciences, procured an Institutional Core Facility Support grant in the amount of $40,000 for "Inverted Microscope, Nikon Fluorescence System, Digital Imaging System, Motorized Stage" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

IN MEMORIAM

John David Boyd, 73, professor emeritus of art and design, died Oct. 25 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lorraine; son Aaron (Jenny) of Wichita; daughters Sarah Blythe (Kurt) of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Alice Villegas (Diego) of Cincinnati, OH; three grandchildren, and countless students.

Annie Pearl Johnson, 75, retired custodian, Physical Plant, died Oct. 26. Services have been held. She is survived by daughters Sharon (Anthony) Trotter, Cosandra (Derrick) Carr and Lisa Johnson; sons, Willie Lee (Sherelle) Johnson, Robert Earl Johnson and Anthonio (Tuyet) Johnson; sister, Dorothy Jean Johnson; brother, Augusta Johnson; 18 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

James McKenney, 77, professor emeritus and former chair, political science, former director, Honors Program and Taft Institute, died Oct. 25 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his father, James D., mother, Thelma, and step mother, Mary E. Survivors include his wife, Mary K.; sister Sharon and her husband (Roland) Simantel of Wasco, Ore.; brother Richard and his wife (Vona) McKenney of Eugene; sister Kathy and her husband Bela Kirchberger of Salem, Ore; and sister Jane and her husband John Hyder of Salem, Ore. Children and their families include James R. of Grants Pass, Ore.; Alison (Mitch, Maeley, Mariah) McKenney Brown of Valley Center; Sean P. (Kristie, Christopher, Bailey, Kaleigh) of Honolulu , Hawaii; and Colin (Brenda, Megan, Braeden) of Valley Center. Memorials may be sent to the Valley Center Public Library Building Fund c/o the Friends of the Library, 321 W. First, Valley Center, KS 67147.

WSU exhibit to show ties to 1936 Berlin Olympics

Tue, 3 Jul 2012 13:49:00 CST

Campus visitors will get a sense of the history surrounding the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin; the basketball team from Kansas that brought home a gold medal; and Wichita State University's Olympic oak tree with an exhibit at Wichita State's Ablah Library from Monday, July 9, through Sunday, Sept. 30.

The exhibit, laid out in the library's Special Collections reading room, will be free and open to the public from 8 a.m.-5 p.m Tuesday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon Friday.

The Olympic oak tree at Wichita State was moved in the spring to make way for renovations to the Rhatigan Student Center. The tree was transplanted near the entrance of Charles Koch Arena; a dedication ceremony will be held on Oct. 12.

Lorraine Madway

Lorraine Madway, curator of Special Collections, said the exhibit will include a poster of the winning Olympic basketball team from Kansas. That team, the McPherson Refiners, included McPherson players, former Wichita University players Francis Johnson and Jack Ragland, and former WU coach Gene Johnson, brother of Francis.

The poster shows all of the basketball players and coaches from that 1936 Olympic "dream team" and was autographed in 1996 by Francis Johnson. It includes an article about the 1936 team from a July 1992 Wichita Eagle.

Numerous university photographs will be on display of the two players from Wichita University, Francis Johnson and Jack Ragland, and the former WU coach, Gene Johnson, brother of Francis. On display will be a copy of Rich Hughes' book, "Netting Out Basketball, 1936: The Remarkable Story of the McPherson Refiners, the First Team to Dunk, Zone Press, and Win the Olympic Gold Medal."

The exhibit will also explain the significance of the Olympic oak tree and place the story of the team in the larger historical context of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

WSU's Gordon Parks documentary picks up Telly Award

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:05:00 CST

The Media Resources Center at Wichita State University has won a national Telly Award for its work. The 2011 Bronze Telly Award goes to MRC's Video Services for the documentary "Roots and Branches: Preserving the Legacy of Gordon Parks."

"Roots and Branches" explains how Wichita State became the home of the Gordon Parks Collection and details its efforts to preserve Parks' legacy. The documentary premiered at a campus event in March and also aired on WSU-TV, Channel 13 on Cox Cable.

In her letter notifying the university, Telly Award executive director Linda Day congratulated Video Services for being honored by the 32nd annual Telly Awards. The bronze award is topped only by the Telly Silver Award.

"This is a tremendous honor," said Day.

Greg Matthias, manager, Video Services, credited the MRC staff who worked on the documentary: Ryan Unruh, the producer, editor and videographer who directed and edited the program; Rik Dubiel, producer, editor and videographer; and Corin Brena, who worked as a contract producer on the piece.

Ted Ayres

Wichita State vice president and general counsel Ted Ayres, whose leadership helped the university gain the honor of protecting Gordon Parks' papers in University Libraries Special Collections archives, was highly involved in the production of the program.

"Ted offered us guidance on the history and the process of WSU being awarded the Parks papers," said Matthias, "and he provided immeasurable insight into the life and works of Mr. Parks."

Matthias also credits Ablah Library's Special Collections with providing valuable information and artifacts from the Gordon Parks Papers collection.

"Lorraine Madway, Mary Nelson and Josh Yearout, who has since passed away, gave us many hours of their time and expertise," Matthias said.

Previously, the MRC won a bronze finalist award for "Beyond the Word," a documentary about WSU dance students and faculty making a summer 2000 trip to Poland to participate in a mime festival, and the Silver Telly Award for a 30-second "Thinker, Doers, Movers and Shockers" advertising spot that aired in 2000.

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and Web commercials, videos and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators and corporate video departments in the world.

Faculty/staff news update spring 2011

Fri, 6 May 2011 14:20:00 CST

Rajiv Bagai, associate professor, and Bin Tang, assistant professor, both of electrical engineering and computer science, received the Best Paper Award of the 25th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications in Singapore, March 2011, for their paper titled "Data Caching for Enhancing Anonymity."

Wilson Baldridge, professor, chair, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures-French, gave an invited paper, "Reprise de Jumelages," on the work of Michel Deguy at the Regional Association of Aquitaine meeting in France. The association, in cooperation with the University of Bordeaux, awarded its annual Grand Prize for Literature to Deguy. The International Colloquium on his work, organized to celebrate this award, involved leading specialists from the Sorbonne, the University of Bordeaux, and international scholars from Japan and the United States. Baldridge is a recognized Deguy scholar.

Kate Bohn-Gettler, assistant professor, counseling, education and school psychology, has published, with D.N. Rapp, (in press), "Depending on my mood: Mood-driven influences on text comprehension" in the Journal of Educational Psychology. Bohn-Gettler also published, with D.N. Rapp, P. van den Broek, P. Kendeou and M.J. White (in press) "Adults' and children's monitoring of story events in the service of comprehension" in Memory & Cognition.

Misty Bruckner, associate director, Center for Urban Studies, received the Bronze Medal of Outstanding Service from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office for her work involving the new Oaklawn Activity Center in southeast Wichita.

Deema deSilva, director, Student Support Services, participated by invitation from Oxford University in London, England, to participate in a spring Oxford Round Table Discussion as a delegate in a panel of 40 women from around the globe.

Kay Gibson, associate professor; Gayla Lohfink, assistant professor; Donna Sayman, assistant professor; and Anh Tran, associate professor, all from curriculum and instruction, received a Tilford Incentive Grant from the WSU Office of Multicultural Affairs and will teach courses that enhance diversity-related themes and content in College of Education curricular offerings.

Barbara Hodson, professor; Trisha Self, assistant professor; Kathy Strattman, associate professor; and Terese Conrad, clinical educator, all from communication sciences and disorders, have recently published case studies cited in a pioneering new textbook, "The Communication Disorder Casebook: Learning by Example" by Shelly Chabon and Ellen Cohn. It is a first edition case-based text for the discipline's undergraduate and graduate level courses.

Mary Liz Jameson, associate professor, biological sciences, has been invited to teach a course on scarab beetles in Peru at La Pampa Hermosa Sanctuary, a biological field station.

Jennifer Kassebaum, who has served as interim associate general counsel since September 2010, has been selected as associate general counsel for Wichita State University.

Maite Kilpatrick, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures-Spanish, organized a meeting of the Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association for those interested in professional translation and interpretation, including a discussion of the processes for becoming certified for court or medical interpreting.

Lorraine Madway, assistant professor, curator Special Collections, Ablah Library, presented "Struggle and Resilience: Kansas During the Great Depression" in April at the Watkins Community Museum in Topeka.

Kim McDowell, associate professor, curriculum and instruction, has published, with R. Sweeney and R. Ziolkowski, "Adolescent readers: Relatedness of ability and attitudes" in Global Education.

Linda Mitchell, professor, curriculum and instruction, made a presentation at the Kansas Division for Early Childhood annual conference in February based on her publication: Mitchell, L., Perlman, L., & Mitchell, A. (2011). Family engagement: Building early learning partnerships.

Paul Rillema, professor, chemistry, served as program chair for the 45th Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. More than 750 chemists, including students, professors and industrial chemists, attended the meeting, held in Wichita.

Christopher Rogers, associate professor, biological sciences, presented his invited paper "Season-long fecundity, brood parasitism and nest predation in the Cerulean Warbler in southwestern Michigan" at the joint meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists, Cooper Ornithological Society and Wilson Society for Ornithology. His paper was part of a symposium session, "Our Expanding Understanding of Cerulean Warbler Breeding Biology and Migratory Behavior."

Michael Rogers, professor, chair, human performance studies, was quoted in a Newsday article, "For a 50th birthday lift, try 300 pounds," about weight lifting by older adults. He was also quoted in a New York Times article, "A trainer who acts your age."

Rogers has recently published "Effects of hydraulic-resistance training on strength and power in untrained healthy older adults" in the April issue of Journal of Strength and Conditioning.

Judy Ruder, clinical supervisor, curriculum and instruction, and seven WSU students attended the Kansas National Educators Association—Student Program (KNEA-SP) representatives assembly in Manhattan. Gwen Mukes, assistant professor, was recognized as the Outstanding Local Advisor at the event for her support and commitment to the student organization. The group won top prize for a banner made by Maranda McArthur, Penny Blattner, Susie Kelly and Kara Yoder. The banner will go on to the national KNEA-SP meeting, where it will compete with banners from all 50 states.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, special education, curriculum and instruction, recently presented "Contracting with Omar the Tentmaker: Masculinity and Men in Nursing" at the American Men's Studies Association conference in Kansas City.

Nick Solomey, professor, chair, physics, gave a presentation on the Auger North Cosmic Ray Observatory project in April at Washburn University in Topeka. The internationally funded project, which may be partially located in Kansas, studies the universe's highest energy particles.

Erach Talaty, professor, assistant chair, chemistry, was honored by his colleagues with the naming of the Erach Talaty Organic Chemistry Teaching Lab in McKinley Hall.

Lawrence E. Whitman, associate professor, director engineering education, has been elected to serve as technical vice president for the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). Whitman previously served on the IIE board as computer and information systems (CIS) division president, 2008-2009; member of board of CIS, 2005-2009; and has been a member of the organization since 1996.

Shang-You Yang, associate professor, biological sciences, was the invited keynote speaker at the 2010 Jinan International Symposium on Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery in Jinan, China, and presented "Gene therapy in orthopaedic spine surgery."

IN MEMORIAM
Jean Vincent Gillette, 80, retired personnel manager, former Campus Activities Center, died on April 11 in Wichita. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jack; and son-in-law Kurt Seybold. She is survived by her daughters Darla Gillette Seybold, Lori Gillette (Robert) Cunningham of Wichita and Lisa (Matt) Blaes of Olathe, Kan.; sister and brother-in-law Jan and Toke Rogers of Las Cruces, N.M.; brother C.L. (Virginia) Vincent of N.M; grandchildren Phillip (Heather) Cushman, Molly Blaes, Cavanaugh Blaes, Tim Cunningham, Stephanie (Mark) Toland; great granddaughter Kaylee Cushman; and her beloved dog, Lexi. A memorial service has been held. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.

New dean of libraries at Wichita State named

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:30:00 CST

Donald L. Gilstrap has been appointed dean of university libraries at Wichita State University. He is currently associate dean of libraries at the University of Oklahoma.

Gilstrap will join Wichita State in June, with responsibility for all of the university's collections, library locations, online services, staff and operations.

Donald Gilstrap

He will also serve as professor of education leadership and libraries.

His appointment was announced Monday, Feb. 21, by Provost Gary L. Miller, to whom he'll report.

"Dr. Gilstrap brings a distinctive combination of expertise in library science and contemporary information management," Miller said. "He is also an accomplished scholar with deep roots in the humanities. It is difficult to imagine a finer addition to university leadership at this important time."

Wichita State President Donald L. Beggs said: "The important role of the libraries dean has expanded as we've made more of our resources available online. Dr. Gilstrap's background combining traditional scholarship and strength in technology makes him ideally suited to lead our next generation library efforts."

Gilstrap holds a Ph.D. in Education Leadership from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Library Science, a Master of Arts in history, and a Bachelor of Arts in history and French from Emporia State University.

Prior to becoming associate dean at OU, Gilstrap was director of libraries at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He has also held positions at the Connecticut Community College System, the University of Connecticut and the University of Central Oklahoma.

Gilstrap has published extensively on leadership, organizational dynamics and assessment of teaching and learning in higher education. He brings to WSU a great deal of leadership experience in technology and digital resource integration in research libraries, as well as engagement in large-scale projects at the state, national and international levels.

Provost Miller said: "Research libraries are at the center of nearly every challenge and opportunity we have in higher education. We want the WSU Libraries to lead the way in integrating the global information economy into learning, discovery and engagement with the community and the world."

"I am excited to join the University Libraries at Wichita State University," Gilstrap said. "The amount of information and access points available to support quality research, teaching, and learning in the 21st century is complex and growing at a dramatic rate. Library faculty and staff have implemented many forward-thinking programs to support the research endeavors of students and faculty.

"I am honored to work with such committed and high-caliber people in the WSU community in continuing to position the university as one of the major urban research universities in the country," said Gilstrap.

Associate Provost Ravi Pendse is the university's chief information officer and has been serving as interim dean of libraries. He said, "I am looking forward to working with Don Gilstrap as we continue to enhance our ubiquitous information resources to provide anytime anywhere access to library resources to our outstanding students, faculty and staff."

Gilstrap, who graduated from high school in Augusta, said he and his wife, Kathy, are "very much looking forward to returning to our home state of Kansas and fully engaging in the Wichita community."

The Gilstraps' sons, Connor and Kagen, are also excited about the move and becoming part of Shocker Nation.

Special Collections exhibits attract researchers, community

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 CST

Wichita State University's Special Collections and University Archives: one of the best kept secrets of the campus and Wichita community. Its rich collection of maps, manuscripts, images, archives and rare books attracts researchers from all over the world.

Lorraine Madway

"It's very exciting because all of these materials are unique," said Lorraine Madway, assistant professor and curator of Special Collections and University Archives. "We have a chance to acquire and process materials so that we can make them available to researchers."

Although most notably recognized for its Gordon Parks Papers and related exhibits, Special Collections hosts a number of events catered to the wants and needs of the community.

"We serve the needs of the students, the faculty, the staff and the larger Wichita and research community," said Madway.

Recent projects include a "Separate is Not Equal" exhibit, presenting photographs and documents that show the history of education in the African American community of Wichita.

The exhibit documents the plight, struggle and triumph of early African American educators. "Separate is Not Equal" shows the effects of segregation and is available to view in Special Collections and University Archives.

Special Collections also collaborates with other universities and researchers in the region.

"Community & Conflict: The Impact of the Civil War in the Ozarks" is a digital project that combines research from Wichita State's Special Collections with research from Missouri State, University of Arkansas, University of Tulsa, regional museums and county organizations.

Specializing in documents of Kansas and local regions, Wichita State's Special Collections boasts an extensive map collection, some available online, dating back to 1556.

"We have one of the best small maps collections in the country. Our maps start from 1556 and go on from there," said Madway.

In addition to maps, Special Collections has obtained bleeding-Kansas Civil War records, artifacts and photographs, as well as documents depicting the history and struggle of women, African Americans and Native Americans in the community. The history of aviation in Wichita is also a staple of the collection.

"We are Wichita's history detectives," she said.

Other collections and projects include the Gordon Parks Papers, poems by Albert Goldbarth, the Adele M. Davis Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Wichita State and only poet to be awarded the Book Critics Circle Award twice, and the Margarita Fischer Papers, reflecting Fischer's life as a screen actress and her role as Eliza in Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Special Collections also played a vital role in the filming of "Black and Gold," a documentary of the 1970 WSU football team plane crash that aired on KPTS Channel 8 this past October.

In addition to working with researchers and the community, Madway also assists students, building relationships and practical work experience.

"We really want to have students feel comfortable and accomplished in dealing with unique materials. That's a wonderful achievement for any student to be able to evaluate and research these kinds of materials and appreciate their significance."

Whether for students, researchers or the local community, Special Collections provides a look at Kansas' past and has established itself in the research community.

"Thanks to the Internet we have researchers from all over the world," said Madway. "We've been able to share this cultural richness."

"Wichita, Kansas is a very cool place," she said.

So the next time you research your family, Wichita, the Midwest or the world, remember the gem tucked on the lower level of the Ablah Library on Wichita State's campus.

"We are not only local but are part of the larger world," said Madway. "We make history come alive in a way that reading it in a book or even looking at it online cannot."

For more information on Wichita State University's Special Collections and University Archives (316) 978-3590, visit http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/, or specialcollections@wichita.edu.

'Soul of a People: Writing America's Story' showing at WSU

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 10:16:04 CST

The Wichita State University Library Associates will present "Soul of a People: Writing America's Story," with author and co-producer David A. Taylor at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 15, in Special Collections, lower level, Ablah Library.

Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.

"Soul of a People" is the story of the most chaotic and influential publishing venture in history.

In the Great Depression, while hundreds of thousands survived by wielding picks and shovels on WPA (Work Progress Administration) jobs, a smaller cadre used pen, paper and the spirit of invention. Their task: to create America's first-ever self-portrait in the WPA guides. This documentary offers a compelling window into that experience.

Taylor will facilitate discussion about the film. He is an award-winning writer and documentary maker whose work deals with science, history and culture. He teaches at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Md.

Wichita State announces national search for library dean

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:05:19 CST

Wichita State University will conduct a national search for the next dean of the University Libraries, according to Gary L. Miller, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs and Research. Zulma Toro-Ramos, dean of the College of Engineering, will chair the search committee.

Gary L. Miller

"This is one of the most important senior leadership positions in the university," said Miller. "The role of University Libraries in research institutions is changing rapidly. Contemporary library deans must envision learning and scholarship within the global information economy and be prepared to be a campus leader in merging traditional archival strategies with information technology. We intend to search nationally to bring such a leader to Wichita State University."

The search committee consists of 21 campus and community leaders. The committee will begin work in August and continue until the search is completed.

The next dean will replace Pal Rao, who retired at the end of the spring semester. Rao was appointed dean emeritus of University Libraries in May 2010, after seven years of service as dean.

Ravi Pendse, associate provost and chief information officer, is serving as interim dean of the University Libraries.

Library outreach program introduces history of Federal Writers' Project

Tue, 5 May 2009 16:45:05 CST

The National Endowment for the Humanities launched "Soul of a People" to acquaint the public with the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers' Project.

The Wichita State University Libraries received one of 30 $2,500 grants for the "Soul of a People" library project.

WSU Libraries will use the grant to present a series of five programs in May and June that examine the WPA, the Federal Writers' Project and Depression-era Kansas. WSU Libraries will partner with the Wichita Public Library (Rockwell Branch) and the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum to host the local events.

The event kickoff will be held Tuesday, May 12.

The programs include:

Celebrating America's Story: The Cultural Legacy of the Great Depression
7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12 – WSU Libraries

A presentation of sights and sounds from the 1930s, will include excerpts from the documentary "Soul of a People," and music, photographs and films evoking the tone and texture of the period.

Presenter: Lorraine Madway, curator of special collections and university archivist, WSU Libraries.

Writing America's Story: The Federal and Kansas Writers' Projects
7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21 – WSU Libraries

A panel discussion will be held on the impact of the Great Depression in Kansas and the work of the federal and Kansas writers' projects.

Panelists: Craig Miner and Jay Price, department of history, WSU, and Lorraine Madway, curator of special collections and university archivist, WSU.

Telling America's Story: Oral Histories of the Great Depression
7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 — WSU Libraries

Interpretive readings and a group discussion examining selected oral histories from the Writers' Project, "American Life Histories," is accessible at the Library of Congress Web site http://lcweb2.loc.gov/wpaintro/wpahome.html.

Presenters: Jay Price, department of history, WSU, and Lorraine Madway, curator of special collections and university archivist, WSU Libraries.

One Writer's Stories: Discussing Selected Short Stories of John Cheever
7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 — Wichita Public Library, Rockwell Branch

A group discussion will focus on the work of a writer who contributed to the Writers' Project and later became an important figure in American literary history. Led by Lorraine Madway, curator of special collections and university archivist, WSU Libraries.

Finding the Sunny Side of the Street: Life in 1930s Wichita
2-4 p.m. Sunday, June 28 – Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

A celebration will create a 1930s atmosphere with music, displays, videos and refreshments.

During the Great Depression, out-of-work writers were paid by the WPA to write on topics such as state and regional travel guides, regional cultural studies and oral history interviews. The goal of "Soul of a People" is to inform the public about the FWP and the start that it gave many aspiring authors in regions impacted by the Great Depression.

Nan Myers, project administrator, and Lorraine Madway, project scholar, secured the grant from the NEH.

"We are excited that we were one of only 30 libraries nationwide chosen to participate," Myers said. "There are several noted authors who got their start from the FWP, like Ralph Ellison, Studs Terkel, Saul Bellow and Zora Neale Hurston."

The WSU Libraries contains the largest collection in Kansas of materials compiled by WPA researchers.

For more information about the WSU Libraries programs, call (316) 978-5130 or nan.myers@wichita.edu or view the event Web site at http://library.wichita.edu/soulofapeople/.

"Soul of a People: Writing America's Story" is a major documentary television program about the Federal Writers' Project produced by Spark Media, Washington, D.C. It will be broadcast in Fall 2009 on the Smithsonian Channel HD.

"Soul of a People" programs in libraries are sponsored by the American Library Association with the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.

Free patent workshop to be held Sept. 20 at Wichita State

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 15:59:10 CST

A free workshop will provide introductory information on the patent process and hands-on training in patent searching. The workshop will be held at Wichita State University from 1-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, in 217 Ablah Library.

Patent workshops are a free service of WSU Libraries, one of only 84 U.S. libraries designated as information centers by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. WSU houses the only such library in Kansas.

Nan Myers, associate professor and patents/trademarks librarian, will conduct the workshop.

Myers will explain how to do preliminary patent searching and give hands-on instruction in using the U.S. Patent Office's online database of patents from 1790 to the present.

To register for the workshop, call (316) 978-5130 or (800) 572-8368. Or, come to the Government Documents Office on the first floor of Ablah Library.

Learn how an invention helped heal Wichita

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:17:34 CST

Come and hear the fascinating history of Mentholatum and how it helped to "heal" the city of Wichita in body as well as spirit.

Learn how a stove-top experiment by A.A. Hyde created a product produced in Wichita and known worldwide.

And find out about the philanthropy of Hyde, who devoted his life to giving away the wealth he gained from Mentholatum.

A.A. Hyde's grandson, John Hyde, will share this fascinating story, along with rare images of early Wichita, from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 27, in Wichita State University's special collections, lower level of Ablah Library.

Hyde is a native Wichitan and Professor Emeritus of History at Williams College in Massachusetts.

Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, please call (316) 978-3586.

Gordon Parks' son visits WSU to see father's collection of works

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 15:31:34 CST

David Parks, son of the late Gordon Parks, visited Wichita State University Tuesday, March 4.

He was given a campus tour, including visits to the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art and Special Collections in Ablah Library.

Parks was able to view the facilities where his father's collection of papers, manuscripts, photos and other items will be permanently housed.

He was also given an opportunity to open a box of his father's items recently received by the university.

Bust of Gordon Parks

Coinciding with Parks' visit was the unveiling of a bust of Gordon Parks sculpted by Wichitan Clara Redmond. It is on loan to Special Collections for three months.

Earlier in February, WSU announced that the Gordon Parks Foundation in Chappaqua, N.Y., had accepted a proposal from the university to receive the collected papers of Parks, a deceased photographer, author, filmmaker and composer from Kansas.

It will take about two years of fully processing the materials before Special Collections expects to publish an online guide, or finding aid, describing the contents of the Gordon Parks Papers.

Gordon Parks

Gordon Roger Alexander Buchannan Parks (Nov. 30, 1912-March 7, 2006) was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director. He is best remembered for his photo essays for Life magazine, his many books, including "The Learning Tree," and as director of the 1971 film "Shaft."

WSU to host day of African American music, dance and storytelling

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 14:30:12 CST

An afternoon celebrating African American history through the arts is planned from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 9, in Wichita State University's Ablah Library.

Admission is free.

The program, "Sharing Our Story: An Afternoon of African American History through Music, Dance and Storytelling," is sponsored by the WSU Library Associates.

The program will include performances of spirituals by ARISE (African Americans Renewing Interest in Spirituals Ensemble) directed by Josephine Brown; a dance performance by Demetria Williams of Southeast High School; and storytelling by Griots members Sheila Kinnard, Tasleem Muqtasid and Rob Simon.

Refreshments will be served. For more information, call (316) 978-3586.

WSU officials begin unveiling Gordon Parks Papers

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:42:32 CST

The first six of more than 100 boxes of Gordon Parks' manuscripts, photos, letters and other papers were opened Friday, Feb. 22, at Wichita State.

WSU staff - including vice president and general counsel Ted Ayres and curator of Special Collections Lorraine Madway - were on hand for the unveiling of the papers. WSU Foundation donors Pete and Mickey Armstrong, along with Mark McCormick, Wichita Eagle columnist and Parks supporter, opened the first box.

Longtime donor Velma Wallace; foundation president and CEO Elizabeth King; and WSU president and first wife Don and Shirley Beggs also took part.

Gordon Parks

It will take about two years of fully processing the materials before Special Collections expects to publish an online guide, or finding aid, describing the contents of the Gordon Parks Papers.

Earlier in February, WSU announced that the Gordon Parks Foundation in Chappaqua, N.Y., had accepted a proposal from the university to receive the collected papers of Parks, a deceased photographer, author, filmmaker, composer from Kansas.

Gordon Roger Alexander Buchannan Parks (Nov. 30, 1912-March 7, 2006) was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director. He is best remembered for his photo essays for Life magazine, his many books, including "The Learning Tree," and as director of the 1971 film "Shaft."

The Gordon Parks Papers were delivered to WSU on Monday, Feb. 18.