Wichita State News: College of Education

WSU to hold commencement ceremonies May 17-18

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:13:00 CST

More than 2,200 students are eligible to participate in the 115th spring commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, at Wichita State University. Ceremonies will be held in Charles Koch Arena.

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred in individual college ceremonies.

Information on individual college ceremonies is available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2195.

Links to stories about some of the graduates are available at:

http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/cnews/?cnid=11220

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.

WSU announces spring commencement schedule, speakers

Wed, 1 May 2013 10:14:00 CST

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred in individual college ceremonies.

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
More than 800 liberal arts and sciences students are eligible to participate in commencement exercises at 3 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Mike James, president of the Critical Care Systems subsidiary at Express Scripts.

College of Health Professions
About 400 health professions students are eligible to participate in commencement at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Dr. Paul Uhlig, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Central Plains Cardiothoracic Surgery.

W. Frank Barton School of Business
About 275 business students are eligible to participate in commencement at
8 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Wayne Chambers, president and CEO of High Touch Technologies.

College of Education
Almost 300 education students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Brad Neuenswander, deputy commissioner for Learning Services for the Kansas State Department of Education.

College of Engineering
More than 320 engineering students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be John Lovitt, former senior executive for Rational Software and former CEO of Pattern Insight.

College of Fine Arts
About 100 fine arts students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Bob Workman, director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University.

Wichita State University unveils strategic plan

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:45:00 CST

Strategic Plan background

A strategic plan defines the future of an organization. Wichita State University's strategic plan will shape the future of the university, guide decision-making and determine resource allocations.

The new plan will be used to guide the next phase of strategic planning at Wichita State University. In the next phase, all departments will create plans appropriate to their areas that respond to the institution's strategic plan.

Changes in direction and resource allocations are likely as everyone on campus strives to accomplish the lofty vision and the big audacious goals set out by the institution's strategic plan.

John Bardo

On Sept. 5, 2012, Wichita State University President John Bardo kicked off a campus and community-wide strategic planning process for the university. He appointed a steering committee composed of WSU faculty, staff and students, along with leaders from the larger Wichita community, and charged them with developing a strategic plan for Wichita State University.

Since that time, the steering committee received thousands of comments from students, faculty, staff, community leaders, business people and others with a stake in the future of WSU, Wichita and the region. The goal of the steering committee was to use this input to map a strategic course for the university. To create a new strategic plan the steering committee thoughtfully analyzed this large body of work. The result is a phenomenal integration of the comments received to create an exciting and energizing strategic direction for Wichita State University.

The steering committee's work is almost complete with today's (Thursday, April 25) preview of the new strategic plan for Wichita State University. Following several meetings to reveal this new plan to interested groups, a formal document will be finalized in the summer of 2013. The details of the draft plan follow.

The new vision — Wichita State University is internationally recognized as the model for applied learning and research — means that WSU will aspire to be "the model" not simply "a model" for requiring students to apply their skill sets in practical or real world contexts.

The new mission — The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good — identifies WSU's unique niche in the higher education system of Kansas.

Goal 1: Guarantee an applied learning or research experience for every student by each academic program.

Ensures that every student will study a curriculum that engages them in real world experiences that allows them to develop and apply their skill sets, preparing them for jobs upon graduation.

Goal 2: Pioneer an educational experience for all that integrates interdisciplinary curricula across the university.

Ensures that faculty will work across disciplines to create integrated student experiences to develop students' critical thinking skills and help them make important connections between their fields, society and culture.

Goal 3: Capitalize systemically on relevant existing and emerging societal and economic trends that increase quality educational opportunities.

Ensures a process where all new initiatives exploit relevant existing or emerging trends including social, business, technology, demographic, policy or economic trends that add to the educational opportunities in Kansas.

Goal 4: Accelerate the discovery, creation and transfer of new knowledge.

Improves the educational, cultural and economic well-being of Kansas through increased quantity and quality of research projects that enhance the reputation of WSU, attract funding, or lead to new products by advancing knowledge, producing intellectual property, or transferring knowledge for practical application.

Goal 5: Empower students to create a campus culture and experience that meets their changing needs.

Allows students to create a desired destination campus by stepping away from dictating to students what they should want, or what we think they want, in a student experience.

Goal 6: Be a campus that reflects — in staff, faculty and students — the evolving diversity of society.

Ensures successful fulfillment of WSU's mission by mirroring the variety of types of people found in society.

Goal 7: Create a new model of assessment, incentive and reward processes to accomplish our vision and goals.

Develops an integrated reward system that breaks down the insularity that exists across the colleges on campus.

For full details of the strategic plan see:
http://wichita.edu/wsustrategy.

Strategic plan preview for Wichita State to be revealed

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:21:00 CST

A draft of Wichita State University's strategic plan will be revealed to the WSU campus and Wichita-area community in a town hall meeting from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in 208 Hubbard Hall.

The strategic planning steering committee developed the plan following numerous sessions with faculty, staff, students, community leaders, business people and others with a stake in the future of WSU, Wichita and the region.

President John Bardo will make comments, and the strategic plan will be presented by steering committee members.

In addition, a structured group discussion will be facilitated by strategic planning steering committee co-chairs Cindy Claycomb and Ed O'Malley.

Vizzini named VP for academic affairs at Wichita State

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:17:00 CST

Anthony Vizzini

Anthony Vizzini has been named vice president for academic affairs at Wichita State University, effective July 1, according to President John Bardo.

Vizzini assumes the position vacated in 2011 by Gary L. Miller, who left to become chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Keith Pickus has served as interim provost since Miller's departure.

"I am pleased Dr. Vizzini has accepted the offer to become WSU's next vice president for academic affairs," said Bardo. "His academic background will prove invaluable for advancing the university's academic programs, and he brings to campus a wealth of experience in the development of entrepreneurship and business innovation in private and public partnerships. I am excited to have his breadth of experience in both business and academics."

Vizzini earned his undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research involved the manufacture, testing and analysis of composite structures.

He is a Fellow of the American Society for Composites and served as president of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.

Vizzini served as a catalyst in the economic development of the aerospace corridor in Mississippi.

"I am eager to be joining so many exciting individuals and to be part of the team of students, staff and faculty who will make great things happen for Wichita State University and the state of Kansas," said Vizzini. "I have had a great welcome thus far."

Since 2009, Vizzini has served as dean and professor of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Western Michigan University.

Previously, he was department head, professor and inaugural holder of the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair for the aerospace engineering department at Mississippi State University.

Vizzini started his professional career as assistant professor at the University of Maryland, where he eventually became founding director of the Composites Research Laboratory, graduate director of aerospace engineering and associate professor.

Faculty/staff news update: January/February 2013

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 11:34:00 CST

Kathy Coufal, professor and chair, communication sciences and disorders, recently joined the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges.

George Dehner

George Dehner, associate professor, history, had two books published recently. "Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response" is aimed at the academic market, and "Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza" is a more general book on the subject.

Suzy Finn, engineering coordinator/job developer, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning, has been accepted into the Young Professionals of Wichita 2013 Leadership Academy.

Ed Flentje, professor and longtime REAP consultant, 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.

Ed Flentje fielded calls on Kansas politics about the 2012 November elections from national reporters with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, in addition to Kansas newspaper reporters. He also made presentations on Kansas politics and elections, including the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College in Winfield; the Downtown Lions Club, Wichita; the Post-election Roundtable, with professors Joe Aistrup (Kansas State), Bob Beatty (Washburn), Burdette Loomis (University of Kansas), and Michael Smith (Emporia State) at Washburn University in Topeka; and the Lions Club in Clay Center.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, Jean Patterson, associate professor, and Pat Terry, senior fellow, served as faculty advisers to students in the College of Education's educational leadership program who presented research papers at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention in January. "Growth and Sustainability in a Rural Kansas Town: The Role of Public Schools" was presented by Michael Argabright, superintendent, Southern Lyon County USD 252; Andi Williams, principal, Haysville Elementary, USD 261; and Royce Powelson, superintendent, Jayhawk USD 346 (Freeman). "Successes and Challenges of Implementing 21st Century Skills" was presented by Mary Liebl, literacy coordinator, Wichita USD 259; Janice Smith, executive director, The Opportunity Project Early Learning Center; Alicia Thompson, assistant superintendent, Wichita USD 259; Tiffinie Irving, executive director, Wichita USD 259; and Brad Pepper, executive director, The Service Center at Clearwater (Patterson/Terry).

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director and founder, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Feb. 9 for his recently published novel, "The Blane Game."

Lou Heldman, Distinguished Senior Fellow and interim director of the Elliott School of Communication, presented "Communicating with Citizens on Their Terms" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, on Feb. 8.

Sharon Iorio

Sharon Iorio, dean and professor, College of Education, presented "Partnerships with School Districts," along with other Kansas Board of Regents' college of education deans at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention conference in January.

Ashlie Jack, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, has been selected to serve on the Kansas Handwriting Standards Committee, which will design the new handwriting standards for schools in Kansas in response to the request of the Kansas State Board of Education.

Ashlie Jack and Mandy Lusk, assistant professors, special education, received funding for their study "Developing Word Consciousness of Academic Vocabulary in Adolescents with Challenging Behaviors through Co-Teaching" to be conducted during the spring 2013 semester.

Elizabeth King, president and CEO, WSU Foundation, was re-elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. The KSCC was established in 1925.

Kenneth Kriz, professor of Public Finance and Economics with the University of Nebraska-Omaha who will soon join the Hugo Wall School as Regents Professor of Public Finance, presented the keynote speech "Public Finance in the 2010s: an Environmental Scan" at the 2013 Midwest Regional Public Finance Conference on Feb. 14 and 15 in Wichita.

Sal Mazzullo, professor, geology, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Jan. 5 for his recently published novel, "Chac Balam."

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean, Fairmount College, and associate professor, Spanish, had her book chapter "Resounding Silences: En las noches que desvisten otras noches" included in the Festschrift Nela Rio: Escritura en foco: La mirada profunda, edited by Qantati e-books (Ottawa, Canada).

Ravi Pendse

Ravi Pendse, chief information officer, presented "Creating Relevance through Innovation and Collaboration" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs on Feb. 8.

Michael Rogers, chair and professor, human performance, presented "International trends of study concerning exercise programs and health promotion for older adults" at the 2012 International Forum on Muscle Fitness Exercise as Chokin for Elderly People held at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan, in December.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, recently had her article "Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in state-supported residential schools of science and math" published in the Journal of Latinos and Education.

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn, assistant professor, music theory and composition, had two new compositions premiered at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 9 by an East Coast new music group, the Case Ensemble. While in New York, Sternfeld-Dunn gave guest presentations with undergraduate and graduate composers at The Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn., and Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa.

Clay Stoldt, chair and professor, and Mark Vermillion, associate professor, both of sport management, presented "Member Churning Among Conferences: A Contributing Factor to Economic Inequality at the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium," along with Martin Perline, professor and Bloomfield Foundation Faculty Fellow, Barton School of Business.

Anh Tran, associate professor, and Jim Granada, assistant professor, both of curriculum and instruction, presented "Social, Cultural and Economic Capitals for College Success" at the 2013 USA|Kansas Annual Convention.

NEW TO CAMPUS
Leah DiPietr, coordinator for College of Engineering, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Kenneth Kriz, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs

Kelley Mattivi, coordinator for College of Business and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Arwiphawee Srithongrung, associate professor, Hugo Wall School

Matthew Cecil, director, Elliott School of Communication

Bob Workman, director, Ulrich Museum of Art

ON SABBATICAL
Dharma DeSilva, professor, management, fall 2013, five related projects including teaching, research and advisory service in Sri Lanka, as well as completion of international business and marketing resource textbooks

Jeffrey Hershfield, associate professor, philosophy, fall 2013, research on linguistic norms regarding truth/falsity and their underlying principles; development of a taxonomy and publication

Xiaomi Hu, associate professor, mathematics, fall 2013, conduct research to identify multivariate order relations and focus on models with their parameter vectors under multivariate order restrictions including testing and implementation

C. Nicholas Johnson, professor, dance, spring 2014, research on mime/physical theatre; further development of the SPA core curriculum mime course and a new Fine Arts exchange opportunity in Mexico

Xiufen Lu, associate professor, philosophy, spring 2014, research on Li Dazhao's adaption of Marxism to Chinese Confucianisnism; publication of two articles

Chungsheng Ma, professor, mathematics, academic year 2013-14, research on spatio-temporal stastics and vecor random fields in space and time leading to book and journal publications

Daowei Ma, professor, mathematics, spring 2014, research on complex analysis and linear transforms in applied mathematics leading to publication of several research papers

Robert Owens, associate professor, history, spring 2014, research and manuscript writing on early American frontier "Indian-hating" and attempts to settle Indian-white disputes

Atul Rai, associate professor, accountancy, spring 2014, study effects of the international financial reporting system and quality of earnings; preparation of papers for publication

Nick Solomey, professor, mathematics (physics), academic year 2013-14, participate in cosmic ray research to expand scientific expertise and enhance the ability of Kansas to qualify for joint hosting of the next large cosmic ray experiment in western Kansas and eastern Colorado

James E. Steck, professor, engineering (aerospace), fall 2013, (1) continue research on advanced aircraft flight control methods at NASA and (2) expand quantum computing research leading to publication in both areas

Craig Torbenson, associate professor, history, spring 2014, continue work on a manuscript examining Norwegian emigration and patterns of westward migration and settlement in the United States

Janet Twomey, professor, engineering/manufacturing, spring 2014, (1) investigate worker education in the emerging field of engineering-public policy and (2) develop a proposal to support a network of researchers in climate change, health care and energy

Chu-Ping Vijverberg, associate professor, economics, academic year 2013-14, compare current models for examining structural change or business cycles with an exploratory time deformation model to provide improved forecast ability and further model development

Robert Zettle, professor, psychology, spring 2014, complete writing and co-editing Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science

IN EMERITUS
Roger D. Lowe, vice president emeritus, administration and finance

Salvatore J. Mazzullo, professor emeritus, geology

IN MEMORIAM
Peggy J. Anderson, 67, retired associate professor emeritus, College of Education, died Feb. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is survived by her brothers, Denis (Bobbi) Anderson of Springfield, Mo., and Russell (Debra Dikeman) Vornold of Pilot Mountain, N.C. Memorials may be made to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 7404 Killarney, Wichita, KS 67206.

Lois Mae Bergerhouse, 94, former WSU cafeteria employee, died Jan. 28 in Andover. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Winifred (Ferris) Troyer; her husband, Wayne; and sisters Delores Krueger and Naomi Daharsh. Survivors include children Cynthia Gillett and Phillip Bergerhouse ; grandchildren, Dwayne Wilson, Michael Wilson, Stephanie Murphy, Joshua Bergerhouse , Ian Bergerhouse and Cody Bergerhouse. Memorials may be made to Life Care Center of Andover, 621 W. 21st St., Andover, Kan.

Donald Morse Douglas, 88, associate professor emeritus, history, died Jan. 15 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Ada Glynn ("Lynn"); daughters, Sharon Lynn Douglas and Donna Christine Douglas; granddaughters Michelle Leigh Nielsen, Erika Lynn Douglas and Meredith Lynn Coughenour; great-grandchildren, Zak, Luke and Kate Nielsen; and brother Guy Barry Douglas and his wife, Pat. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Heart Association, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or Holocaust Commemoratives, in care of Congregation Emanu-El.

Cecilia Sanchez Epperson, 83, retired assistant librarian, died Feb. 11, 2013. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gregorio and Maria Sanchez. She is survived by her husband, Gene; children Rene Epperson, Mark Epperson and Diane Cole all of Wichita, and Alan Epperson of Ft. Worth, Texas; sisters Trini Sanchez of Wellington and Alejandra De La Torre of Los Angeles; grandchildren Jennifer, Laura, Justin, Kyle and Janel; great-grandson Taylor. Memorials may be sent to Hardin Hospice, 2622 W. Central, Wichita, KS 67203.

John C. Gries, 72, professor, geology, died Jan. 18 following a short illness. A celebration of life has been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Virginia Gries, and his brother Don. He is survived by his wife, Toni Willis-Jackman; his daughter, Lynn Gries of Tucson; his first wife and friend, Robbie Gries; sister-in-law, Neella Gries; and two nephews, Nathan and Mark. Memorials have been established at the Great Plains Transportation Museum, 700 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67202, and the Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260.

Harry Miller, 86, former Shocker basketball coach, died Feb. 13 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Lanora (Tillie), and sons Bob and Tom of Nacogdoches, and Gary of Tyler. He is also survived by his son's wives, Ardan, Patty and Dorota; granddaughters, Claire Miller, Isabella and Sophie Miller; step-grandchildren Ember Ashby, Will Ashby and his wife, Anna; and three great-grandchildren, Bryana and Nolan Ashby, and Emerson Carden.

James M. Murphy, 90, professor emeritis, economics, banking and finance, died Feb. 10. Survivors include his children Michael J. (Arlyn) Murphy of Lubbock, Texas, Dennis J. (Beth) Murphy of Tulsa, Okla., Susan E. (Steve) Pattison of Broken Arrow, Okla., John M. (Noreen) Murphy of Beaverton, Ore., and David K. Murphy of Austin, Texas. Private services will be held in Oklahoma at a later date. Donations may be made to the Dr. James M. Murphy Endowed Fellowship, c/o WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Box 2, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

William M. Perel, 85, retired former chair, mathematics, died Jan. 20 in Stillwater, Okla. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Ada Gaskill; and daughter Cathy Perel. He is survived by his wife, Tula Perel of Stillwater; daughters Elizabeth (Dwayne) Deckard and Shirley (Tod) King, all of Wichita; stepchildren Teresa (John) Petersen of Pawnee, Okla., Lenora (Larry) Rawdon of Wellston, Okla., Dan (Pam) Ripley of Pawnee, Okla., and Susan (Paul) Hartle of Plano, Texas; four grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and 14 step-great grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire, Suite 101H, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 or the First Baptist Church, 720 6th St., Pawnee, OK 74058.

William H. "Bill" Smith, 73, retired 30-year administrator, Rhatigan Student Center, died Feb. 20 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Mary Olive Smith; and brother Garel Smith. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith; sons Michael (Stephanie) of Maple Grove, Minn., Stephen (Michelle) of Derby and Jeffrey (Melissa) Smith of Derby; 11 grandchildren; sister Betty Jo McWhorter of Atlanta, Ga.; several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Shocker Bowling Fund in care of the WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Regis Lenora Welch, 82, former instructor, English/linguistics, died Jan. 13 in Sherman, Texas. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Francis and Cecilia Ellen Flynn Downey; her husband, John William; brother Paul; and sister Margaret Ernestine Archer. She is survived by son Matthew Welch of San Francisco, Calif.; brother-in-law Charles T. Welch of Huntsville, Ala.; nieces Sheila Archer Carter and Laura Welch Gilley; nephew Thomas Welch; and great friends and caretakers Kyle and Mary Payne. Donations can be made to St. Elizabeth Scholarship Fund, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 916 Maple St., Bonham, TX 75418.

Milan Zivanovic, 99, instructor, broadcasting and film, died Jan. 23, at home in Kansas City. He was preceded in death by his brother Dragan; mother, Olga, and father, Dusan. He is survived by his wife, Judith; brothers-in-law Tom (Vicki) Goergen and Lee Goergen; sister-in-law Pam Stucke; five nephews; and several grand-nieces and nephews.

WSU plans next community town hall meeting

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:50:00 CST

The Wichita State University Strategic Planning steering committee invites interested people in the greater Wichita area to take part in the community town hall meeting "WSU: Our Mission and Core Values for the Future" from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th St. N. in Wichita.

The meeting is one of the ongoing opportunities to be part of Wichita State's Strategic Planning process.

At this meeting, attendees will be asked for their big, bold, exciting visions for WSU. Additionally, participants will be asked to discuss and react to presented mission concepts and core values.

Community engagement is needed to make this process successful.

Anyone who has a stake in the future of WSU is welcome.

WSU gave music education graduate opportunities, advantage

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 15:01:00 CST

Wichita State alumnus Troy Fischer knows from experience that making the most of opportunities as a college student can pay off with a career.

Fischer, who graduated in 2008 from WSU with an instrumental music education degree, has been band director at Wichita Collegiate School for almost five years.

"It's fun seeing kids develop their musicianship, and especially fun to be a part of their successes and triumphs," said Fischer.

While studying at WSU, Fischer gained experience through a part-time job at East Heights United Methodist Church in Wichita. He played bass guitar at a contemporary worship service and directed the middle and high school youth choirs.

At Collegiate, Fischer directs four concert bands, two jazz ensembles and the Marching Spartans, a band that performs at athletic events and area competitions. He also coordinates with an assistant director who leads two drumline groups, a beginning jazz ensemble and a middle school music technology class.

"I'm always amazed at how much excitement fifth-graders have for a new instrument and adventure each year," said Fischer. "At the same time, it's exciting to see juniors and seniors really own their passion and appreciation for instrumental music as they prepare for the next phases of their lives."

Making connections

Fischer said that as a WSU student, there were opportunities available for him to pursue any musical avenue he wanted.

"I had a wonderful experience at Wichita State," he said. "I love the school's connection to the city of Wichita, especially as that relates to the fine arts field."

Fischer, who is now working toward a master's degree in music education at WSU, was recently hired part time as director of music ministries at Andover United Methodist Church in Andover, Kan.

"The more connections you can make in your field before graduation, the more potential to open up a wide spectrum of opportunities after college," he said. "Maybe even an opportunity that wasn't expected."

Many of the relationships Fischer built with professors and area professionals turned into references when he was looking for a full-time music education job.

He encourages students to jump at volunteer and work experiences with confidence.

"Get your name out there and see what happens," said Fischer. "The Wichita State faculty is there to back you up and see you succeed."

Professor's research helps provide books to Wichita school

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:57:00 CST

A grant from Wichita State's College of Education allowed assistant professor Gayla Lohfink to conduct community-based research that ultimately provided multicultural books to students at McLean Science and Technology Magnet Elementary School in Wichita.

Lohfink's research focused on kindergarten teachers and 54 WSU teaching candidate participants reading culturally-diverse literature to their classes. The books covered characters from a variety of ethnic backgrounds; several contained Spanish and English dual-language text.

"I wanted to know how this particular practice affected pre-service and practicing teachers' pedagogical understanding and teaching practices," she said.

Lohfink said that an increase in cultural and linguistic diversity in USD 259, Wichita's public school district, is why research on the topic is important for students, teachers and schools.

Both pre-service and practicing teachers found that reading the books to their classes engaged students, offered them new information and provided a bridge for students and teachers to learn from each other.

"Their responses reflected how the books became more than just a literary work to be interpreted," said Lohfink. "They were a means for understanding human differences, changing attitudes toward others and social justice."

After reviewing the research findings, Lohfink said that teachers should implement cultural understanding into their own learning.

"Hopefully with continued, reflective research, curriculum transformations using multicultural literature can bring about needed social action changes in diverse elementary classrooms," she said.

The research process
In August 2011, Lohfink collaborated with McLean Elementary's school librarian and two teachers to determine the selection of books to be read in kindergarten classrooms.

"The teachers and I selected picture books with children and their cultural and linguistic backgrounds in mind," she said.

Because of the lack of multicultural children's books available at McLean Elementary and WSU's Ablah Library, Lohfink used grant funds to purchase reading materials for the research project.

About 80 books were donated to the McLean Elementary School library.

Lohfink's primary source of data consisted of the teachers' verbal and written self-reflections on two questions: "What did you notice about the multicultural picture book read aloud?" and "What was a noted strength?"

She also spent three months in the classrooms observing and participating in the readings.

Lohfink will present her research and findings at the National Association of Professional Development Schools Conference in February.

Winners of WSU Klose Scholarship Competition named

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:22:00 CST

Klose Scholars for the 2013-2014 academic year have been named at Wichita State University. Laura Brockmeyer, Wichita Heights High School; Shannon Crow, Valley Center High School; and Lydia Newquist, Salina South High School, were the top three finalists in the Klose Scholarship Competition held at Corbin Education Center on the WSU campus.

The Doris and Ralph Klose Scholarship covers the top three finalists' tuition, books and fees for their junior and senior years at WSU. Other scholarships and financial aid packages can pay for those costs during their freshman and sophomore years.

High school seniors who apply to Wichita State and declare a math or science education major in the College of Education, and have a minimum 3.5 GPA and 24 ACT composite score are eligible to compete for the scholarship.

Ralph and Doris Klose left a $7.5 million estate to the WSU Foundation for math and science education scholarships in the College of Education. The gift is the largest in the nation to fund scholarships for future math and science teachers.

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.

Exercise science pair turn martial arts passion into business

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 16:00:00 CST

Jake Fox began training in martial arts as a teenager, taking basic judo classes through the Wichita Park and Recreation Department. Kimberly Fox started boxing in 2005 during a deployment in Iraq for the U.S. Army.

Both credit their martial arts passions and real-world experiences they received as Wichita State students as two key components for their current business success.

Married couple Jake and Kimberly recently opened Fox Fitness, a martial arts gym in northwest Wichita that provides clients with specialized training options. Fox Fitness offers adult and child Brazilian jiu jitsu classes, a cardio class, sport-specific conditioning, kettleball training and personal training.

"I really love the connections you get from clients," said Kimberly. "You get to find special things within each person that you see, and they may not."

Jake has about 17 years of martial arts experience, including training in judo, muay thai and karate, with expertise in Brazilian jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts. Kimberly has also trained in muay thai and Brazilian jiu jitsu, along with boxing.

In 2008, Jake graduated from Wichita State University with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and, in 2011, received his master's degree. Kimberly, who worked as an Army medic for 10 years, graduated in 2010 from WSU with a bachelor's in general studies.

"My experience at Wichita State, along with my passion for martial arts, has given me the tools to be in the position I am in today," said Jake.

Learning from every experience
As an undergraduate at WSU, Jake interned at Player Development Solutions in Wichita, where he focused on exercise training. While working on his graduate degree, he held a cooperative education position with Janjira Muay Thai of Kansas to study the business portion of running a gym.

"The key is to learn from every experience, good or bad," said Jake. "Real-world experience benefits the student who has only been exposed to classroom lecture."

Kimberly, who is working toward her master's in exercise science at WSU, was an intern at Fox Fitness under Jake's supervision.

She commented that, although it might sound like an easy job, she was required to learn about business taxes, marketing schemes, networking and bookkeeping, along with cleaning and assisting in personal training and class sessions.

"I learned more from that internship than I think I would have ever learned anywhere else," said Kimberly. "With this, it was sink or swim because there was actually something on the line — our livelihood."

Kimberly said that because of her hands-on experiences outside of the classroom, she realized she wants a different career path than she originally planned.

"When I first started college, I wanted to go to med school," she said. "Honestly, now that I own a gym and have the experience of training people, I find I like it way more than I ever would have thought."

Jake said that knowledge he gained outside of the classroom has helped him create a better training environment for his clients.

"Empathy has been one of the most valuable attributes I have learned when dealing with clients," said Jake. "It isn't highlighted in any text, but necessary to learn through trial and error."

Education grad credits co-op opportunity with career success

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:35:00 CST

Kayla Conely

Kayla Conely said she owes her career to the opportunities she received at Wichita State.

Conely graduated in May 2012 with a bachelor's in education and an emphasis in speech and theater. She learned a lot inside the classroom, but it was her time spent away from school as a co-op student for three semesters at Wichita High School South that gave her the real-life experience necessary to get a job straight out of college.

Her hard work paid off, and Conely is now an English teacher at South and has also become licensed to teach speech and theater.

"I am so glad I chose to do co-op," she said. "In fact, I'm sure I wouldn't have the job I have now if it weren't for my experience here at South doing co-op while in school."

Conely also points to the fact that getting that co-op position allowed her to make a name for herself and stand out from the competition.

"I met the principal and got to know many teachers here at South, and that helped when it came time for me to interview for a teaching position," she said.

Making local connections

Conely, 24, has always wanted to be a teacher and got involved with WSU's Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning Program to see how she could become one.

She was paired with a teacher, Cathy Mong, at South High and began working as a para-educator for the Future Educators of America club. Along with working with high school students who also wanted to become teachers, Conely was able to learn the skills she needed for classroom management, lesson planning, behavior techniques and building student relationships.

"I got to learn things specific to this district – things that are too specific to be taught in the education classes, like the online grading system they use and the online substitute finder they use," she said. "Learning that was invaluable."

Conely said when talking to high schoolers, she encourages them to attend college closest to where they want to eventually work.

"If you go to Wichita state, you network with people in Wichita. If you go to K-State or KU and you network with people in Manhattan or Lawrence, then when the time comes for you to move back home and get a job here in Wichita, you find yourself in a world with no associates or colleagues," she said. "Going to WSU gave me an awesome network of people that eventually helped me get my job. Not only that, I am working with former classmates, even. So it's nice to have that already established sense of camaraderie. I'm so proud to call myself a Shocker alum."

Alternative licensure program leads to a fresh start

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:17:00 CST

Heather Czechowski worked for 10 years in the aviation field until she needed to make a career change. After a layoff from a local aircraft company during the economic downturn, she found a new career with the help of the Transition to Teaching program at Wichita State University.

Transition to Teaching (T2T) is a two-year alternative licensure program offered to recent college graduates or professionals who would like to make a career switch to teaching. Candidates may also opt for the three-year Master of Arts in Teaching by taking seven additional credit hours.

There are about 30 students currently enrolled in T2T at WSU, and another 30 working toward a graduate degree.

"Many of our candidates continue on and then receive a master's degree," said Sherri Holle, who works in advising and licensure for T2T. "There are also some who never do, typically because they already have a master's degree in their content field."

In the program, individuals concurrently complete graduate coursework and teach at local schools with a restricted license. Upon completion, candidates do not graduate with a degree, but they receive a teaching license for the state of Kansas.

Sherry Goodvin, alternative licensure program director, said that T2T provides a high level of support for candidates during their first two years in the classroom.

"WSU has a unique partnership with Wichita Public Schools," said Goodvin. "We work very closely with their new teacher induction program consultants to assist in mentoring the WSU alternatively-licensed teachers to provide for their needs."

Success after Transition to Teaching
Czechowski, who completed T2T in May 2012, graduated in 1994 from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor's in space operations. She served as an officer in the Air Force for several years before working in the aircraft industry.

Now, she teaches algebra and statistics at Winfield High School.

"I really enjoy working with students," said Czechowski. "Finding a way to help each person in the room understand the concepts of the lesson can be the best challenge of the classroom."

Czechowski noted that the alternative licensure program at WSU is set up in a way that gives students a path toward success.

"The excellent staff of T2T kept students well-informed and on track with KSDE (Kansas State Department of Education) paperwork," said Czechowski. "I also like the fact that my professors not only provided excellent instruction, but also listened to comments about how to make the program better, more effective and more accessible for students."

During her time in the program, Czechowski said she was part of a helpful community that allowed her to learn more about both teaching and herself.

"I looked at other programs, but I think WSU offered me a great education, and the opportunity to interact and gain support through my first years of teaching from cohort of students and professors," said Czechowski.