Current Honorees

President's Distinguished Service Award

Angela Aubrey, office manager, Curriculum and Instruction, College of Applied Studies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President's Distinguished Service Award

Denise Gimlin, director of graduate operations, Graduate School Dean's Office, Graduate School

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I’ve been at WSU for a very long time—over 28 years— and all of those years have been in the Graduate School. During that time, I’ve accomplished a lot of things for the betterment of our office and the university as a whole. But I think the thing that I’ve been the proudest of has been tied to my role as hiring manager for our office. I have recruited, hired and mentored some incredibly talented people over the years. Whether they have stayed with us or moved on to bigger and better things, I couldn’t be prouder of the work that they did or are still doing for our office or the university. We have an amazing team in our office—and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
I have always loved WSU, both as a student and as an employee, and I’ve always been proud to be a Shocker! I think what makes me proudest to be a Shocker is exemplified in what we are seeing right now during the pandemic—Shockers coming together for the greater good. Shockers are tough, resilient, adaptive, and above all else, caring—and that’s what makes me proud to be a Shocker!

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Hire smart people, then get out of their way.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Active listening. It seems as if it is becoming a lost art.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Integrity, Honesty, Sincerity, Strong work ethic, Ability to be wrong

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
I think I’d choose to be indestructible.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
As long as I get to be indestructible when I do this—I’d want to travel back to prehistoric times and see dinosaurs in person and find out what they really looked like. I have always found dinosaurs fascinating.

What (or who) inspires you?
People who do good deeds without thought to personal gain or loss.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
That I once won an all-expense-paid trip for two to see a concert in NYC, but turned it down … because we were starting work on what became the OneStop, and I didn’t think I could afford the time away! That might also be my one regret.

President's Distinguished Service Award

Deepak Gupta, associate professor, Industrial, Systems & Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
Turned over struggling programs to increase enrollment and graduation.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
Because of the excellent colleagues, students, community, and opportunity to collaborate with industry.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
One can learn for just one day and repeat the same work everyday or learn everyday.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
Cooking

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Communication and analytical skills

What qualities do you admire in others?
Leadership and democratic style of working with others

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
May go back just few months and stop COVID-19 spread.

Describe yourself in three words.
Optimistic, analytical, collaborator

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year old self?
Don’t underestimate yourself and take risk.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?
I used to be a yoga instructor and can do headstand without any support.

President's Distinguished Service Award

LaDawna Hobkirk, senior administrative assistant, Department of Sociology, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
Being apart of the newly formed Fairmount College Staff Council. This is a completely new council that we are building from the ground up and l am looking forward to seeing it grow and succeed.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
I grew around WSU for pretty much my entire life as my dad retired as the paint supervisor and I would come and spend a few days in the summer with him at the campus for years. There is such a deep history of community support and belonging to a university of excellence that makes being a Shocker prideful. I take joy in watching students succeed and grow in their educational career, and knowing that I had a small part in that makes it all worth it.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Authenticity, showing ourselves as we are, is the basis for positive relationships. Learning about who we are is imperative if we are to live as real people in a world that rarely appreciates such honesty. - Ron Matson

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
FaceTime, Google Chats, or Snapchat, as this allows me talk with my son who is currently serving in the military. It has also allowed me to chat with friends who are in different states.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I wish I could problem solve technology issues better without having to call my son.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Patience and respect

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
I wanted to work for a cruise line so that I could travel the world.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year old self?
Be prepared for a wild ride and enjoy every moment you can with your children because they are going to do great things and travel extensively.

President's Distinguished Service Award

Matt Houston, electrician senior, Electrical Shop, Facilities Services

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I am on call every two weeks, does not matter rain, snow, weekends, birthdays, anniversaries, or global pandemics, you can count on me to respond.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
I get to interact with all types of people affiliated with the university, whether they are a student, faculty, other staff members and of course visitors.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Don’t let anything get you down, there are ups and downs and things seem to always work out just fine.

What practical skills do you wish you had?
Better communication skills and of course speaking in front of a group.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Listening

 

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
The ability to be in multiple places at one time.

What (or who) inspires you?
My family

Who would you choose to play you in the movie adaptation of your life?
Larry the Cable Guy

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
I have always dreamed of being a meteorologist or an astronomer, not the one in front of a camera. I have always enjoyed weather and studying patterns in weather, and I have always enjoyed looking up and always wandering and dreaming, what is out there.

President's Distinguished Service Award

Ward Jewell, professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, College of Engineering

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
Teaching engineering from the perspective of a practicing engineer.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
I am most proud to be a Shocker when I see our graduates and our students out in the world doing so many wonderful things, making the world a better place.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
My advisor, Dr. Ramakumar at Oklahoma State, advised me, not in words but by example, that my job is to take care of my students.

Dr. Bob Thomas at Cornell told me early in my career, “You probably are not going to win a Nobel for our research. The purpose of the research funding we raise is to support our grad students financially and give them projects to do.”

Dr. Bill Hughes at Oklahoma State told me, “you will do very little in your career that has not been done before. Find the person who already did it and they’ll be happy to tell you how to do it.”

Dr. Roy Norris, my first dept chair here at WSU, told me to always have a list of ways to spend money for those times when someone asks because they need to spend some funds quickly. 

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.
Renewable energy; it gave me a career.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Paying attention to, listening to, and being kind to everyone.

What is one item on your bucket list?
I have never had a bucket list. I take opportunities when they arise, and I pursue things I want to do as soon as I think of them.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
My hobby was electronics. I asked my mother what job I should get, and she said, “you should be an electrical engineer.” I never thought about it again.

President's Distinguished Service Award

David Muehl, audio-visual technician, Performance Facilities, College of Fine Arts

Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award

Alicia Newell, assistant vice president for student affairs - assessment and retention, Student Affairs

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I feel that one of the most significant contributions I’ve made is enhancing our CARE Team. We have added three fulltime case managers who’s primary focus is to provide wrap around services and support students in need. In addition, we have increased our outreach and educational programing-- promoting a community of care across the university.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
As a first generation college student and proud alumni, now staff member… Wichita State University is all I’ve known. I am proud to say that WSU planted a seed of curiosity in me and helped grow me into the professional I am today. The unconditional love and support in my journey regardless of what that has been (student or professional) has always been met with unwavering support and encouragement. That is what makes me proud to be a Shocker! Our community sets us a part from anyone else.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
“Students don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. You may never know the environment that a students come from --- give them grace, listen to understand, meet them where they are at and get them to where they need to be… THIS is what we do.” – Dr. John Bello-Ogunu

What practical skills do you wish you had?
I wish I had the skill of remembering names. One of the simplest ways to make someone feel valued and seen is by remembering their name. I have to consciously work on this. It will typically take 3-4 personal interactions with someone before I remember their name. I’d like to get it to 1-2.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Patience.

What qualities do you admire in others?
Kindness. Being kind is the most important, and when I see others being kind, my heart smiles. Honesty. I appreciate someone who can be straight up and direct in any situation.
Compassion. Showing others that care and understand go a long way.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?
I would LOVE to have a clone to share the load with on the busiest of days.

What is the best concert you ever attended?
Janet Jackson, Rhythm Nation Tour!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
A trash man. I wanted to ride on the back of the trucks.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year old self?
Don’t get in your own way.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
To my Shocker family—thank you for being everything I never knew I needed and more. I appreciate, value and honor you.

President's Distinguished Service Award

Kennedy Rogers, coordinator of leadership development, Student Involvement, Student Affairs

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
I hope that I show up to campus and Shocker Nation with a warm and welcoming spirit. I hope that everyone I come into contact with feels seen and important. I get to do a lot of work with strengths with the help of amazing staff, faculty, and students! Working on this Strengths-Based Campus initiative has been incredible and, while not complete, very rewarding!

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
In my time at WSU, we have gone through many changes. Our students make me so proud to be a Shocker! Seeing their stories unfold and the impact they make around the world is a gift.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
It’s not necessarily advice in the typical form, but they would ask me, “What did you learn? What next?” I didn’t know it at the time, but this really connected to my number one strength of Learner. It reminds me that there is always something to learn and ways to engage in growth. As someone who has dealt with anxiety a lot, this allowed me to process the situation, learn what I can and cannot control, identify what I can change, and build.

What is the most important skill every person should have?
Budgeting. Whether is your time, money, relationships, etc. Life requires a lot of give-and-take, and if your life is the sum total, how do you want to spend your minutes?

What qualities do you admire in others?
I appreciate folks who can see all aspects of a picture or situation. I am either way up in the clouds, or down in the weeds. There is an art to being able to view it from all angles and a huge strength!

What (or who) inspires you?
The list is long! My family, my kids, my mentors, and our students. Resiliency and the ability to continue down a path to fight for one’s purpose and mission.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year old self?
Life is hard and it probably always will be. Keep getting back up and stay true to your purpose.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I am so honored to have been nominated for this award. There are so many amazing people who have been nominated and awarded, it is truly an honor to be among them. There are so many people along the way who have helped shape me and contribute towards the efforts that have landed me where I am. I am humbled and beyond grateful!

President's Distinguished Service Award

Betty Smith-Campbell, professor, School of Nursing, College of Health Professions

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?
Working with a great WSU team to get the Policy in place that allows non-tenured track faculty to receive promotions

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?
The opportunity to get to meet and work with so many awesome people (students, faculty, staff, administrators).

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?
Life is a journey – graduate school (and work) is about persistence

What is the most important skill every person should have?
The ability to listen to what others have to say

What qualities do you admire in others?
The ability to lead others in order to serve those in need, in an intelligent and caring manner.

What is one item on your bucket list? 
I have exceeded my bucket list: became a nurse – exceeded my educational goals and have a great job – have had great experiences as a nurse (was elected to serve on the American Nurses Association Board; elected as President of the Kansas State Nurses Association – have been honored to meet and work with awesome nurses ).  Everything now is just gravy ...

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?
A nurse – I was very ill in middle school and was taken care of by lots of caring nurses – they were and are my role models