Current Honorees

What you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?

First, working with students so that they can grow into amazing people who make a difference. Second, helping start the Kodaly program and the Honors College. Third, pushing for more interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary options through course creation, research and service learning.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?

Real Shockers serve the world, have always been innovative and aren’t afraid to work hard.

What is the most important skill every person should have?

The ability to compromise without feeling that it is a personal loss.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

I would go back to 2000 and take my kids on an extended European summer vacation, pre-911.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

Realistically, a teacher -- because I didn’t see myself as a nurse or a secretary. Those were my primary choices pre-title IX. Aspirational, a pilot.

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?

My most significant contribution so far is the development of the Biomedical Engineering Capstone Design course sequence, which now includes student observation and discovery of unmet clinical needs, as well as the integration of entrepreneurial business students and mindsets. This has produced some strong, broad-minded engineers, as well as some great projects

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.

Mobile smart phone, not for communication, but it has become my portable personal assistant – I no longer need to worry about remembering all the details and I can focus on the bigger picture

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

Go back to March 1986 and buy $2,000 of Microsoft stock. That would give me a retirement fund of over $3 million today.

What (or who) inspires you?

Nelson Mandela is my most inspirational hero. He led by example, held unwavering to his core beliefs, while staying humble and respectful.

Fill in te blank: If calories did not matter, I would start with ...

Chocolate biscotti with my coffee, eggs benedict for breakfast, Rubin on rye for lunch and medium-rare sirloin steak with a glass of good red wine every day.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?

To be true to myself, to never give up, that my glass is half-full with fresh, cooling water, not half-empty.

What qualities do you admire in others?

Hard working, fair, kind, loyal, unselfish, good sense of humor, honesty, generous.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

The day my husband passed away, and tell him I how much I loved him as often as I could that day.

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year old self?

This too will pass, to enjoy the greatest moments of life to the fullest.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?

That I hate driving the freeway, and know all the back streets in Wichita because of it.

 

 

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?

WSU has been very good to me and my family. I have been here about 16 years and have seen such a growth throughout this university — it has been an honor to be a part of that growth.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?

Do your best to be comfortable in every situation — no matter where you are or what you are faced with. And you are your greatest asset; nobody can take from you what you have the drive to accomplish.

What qualities do you admire in others?

Honesty, integrity, humility and perseverance

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I had always wanted to be in law enforcement. I wanted to help people who weren’t able to help themselves, to stop people from taking advantage of others, and to protect people.

 

 

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?

It changes every day! The “event life” challenges me regularly. And sometimes even the smallest things can make the whole day, week, event or semester triumphant.

What technological innovations have made the most impact on your life? Explain how or why.

Most recently using Basecamp because it brings together two or two dozen people on one project and facilitates processes better than email, telephone and carrier pigeon.

What is the most important skill every person should have?

The capacity for empathy. People get so caught up in their own challenges, struggles and mess that I don’t think they realize that other people may have struggles too. “Be kinder than necessary, because everyone is going through something.”

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

I would go back in time to when my mother found out she was pregnant with Lil Carmen to get family reactions. I was TOTALLY unexpected.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I did not realize when I wrote the 20 questions survey for the President’s Distinguished Award honorees that I would actually have to fill it out myself O_O. Some of these questions were harder to answer than I thought! I want to thank Lou Heldman for the nomination the UP Senate committee for their consideration. Shout out to the Office of Strategic Communications that puts up with my musical turrets and other idiosyncrasies.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?

I can’t think of another place that I could have had a better job for almost 28 years. It is a place with an amazing group of people.

If you could have a superhuman power, what would it be?

Help people forgive themselves.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

I often think I would go back to the day of my car accident, when I was paralyzed, and do that day differently, but I stop myself because I would have missed out on this wonderful life that I had.

Describe yourself in three words.

Slow, old and balding.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?

My mother wished she had named be Dennis after Dennis the Menace.

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?

My most significant achievement at WSU has been the development of Shocker Studios into a growing and thriving applied learning vehicle for the media arts students.

What practical skills do you wish you had?

I wish I knew more about plumbing.

What is the most important skill every person should have?

Critical Thinking

What piece of advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?

Tequila is not the right answer to a broken heart.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?

My first job was at a Christmas Tree farm, shaping trees.

What do you think is your most significant contribution, accomplishment or achievement at WSU?

Graduating with my bachelor’s degree. It was a long path to the finish, but I got it done. Close second is being hired to serve the WSU community as a police officer.

What practical skills do you wish you had?

Painting. Bob Ross made it look too easy.

What is the most important skill every person should have?

Communication. Without good communication, nothing gets done.

What (or who) inspires you?

My wife and daughter. I strive every day to be the best man I can be for them.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?

I am an ordained minister and have officiated several weddings.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?

In higher education, be yourself. Students can smell bull$#!+… and, it is okay to not know the answer.

What practical skills do you wish you had?

Braiding. I am convinced that a plane I am on will crash and I will have to survive in the wilderness. And, my lack of braiding things (very well) is going to come back and haunt me.

If you could have a superhuman power, what would it be?

Being able to outrun the treadmill.

If you have one opportunity to travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?

Göbekli Tepe (Southeast Turkey) between the 10th–8th millennium BCE. I want to figure out why they carved all of those animals. That is a mystery I’d like to see for myself.

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

Sam Elliott. I don’t think he looks like me, but I’d like that ‘stache associated with my movie.

Why are you proud to be a Shocker?

I am proud to be a Shocker because WSU is a great university. I enjoy helping the students in being an integral part of their life and making a major impact in their lives.

What’s the greatest piece of advice a colleague or mentor has given you?

Probably to stop working all the time.

What is the most important skill every person should have?

Everyone should have patience, understanding and respect.

If you could have a super human power, what would it be?

To be everywhere and help everyone all at once, as I enjoy helping others.

What is one thing that would be surprising to learn about you?

That I have a butterfly tattoo on my ankle that my husband always calls Mothra.