Murder Investigation: Town's Hottest Spot, The Crow's Nest, Stunned by Grisly Discovery on June 6, 2022
Park University has been buzzing with a multitude of exciting developments and accomplishments over the past few weeks. Here's a snapshot of some of the key events and achievements that have been making waves.
Lorraine Moore, the development director, has been in the spotlight recently. She was featured in The Independent, Kansas City's journal of society, on May 14, and graduated from Leadership Northland in May. Mark Dunning, MPA '19, also made headlines, with a story about him appearing on the Link 2 Lee's Summit (Mo.) website on May 19. Dunning is set to become the city manager of Lee's Summit in September.
In the realm of academia, Camille Abdel-Jawad, assistant professor of library instruction and outreach, presented a breakout session on "Perceived Authority, Real Consequences: Research-Informed Practices to Teaching Students about Authority and Misinformation" at the Library Orientation Exchange Conference. Matt Harris, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was interviewed for stories related to the leak of a draft opinion that would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case.
The University community also celebrated several notable achievements. Jeanette Prenger, '09, a member of the Park University Board of Trustees (and immediate past chair), was featured in the May 20 issue of the Kansas City Business Journal as one of its 2022 Champions of Business. Rob Kudratov, '18, was honoured with a 2022 Student Veteran Leadership Award by G.I. Jobs.
On the sports front, Vini Baigan, '12, MBA '15, was promoted to associate head coach of the women's volleyball team at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Jeff Fore, Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus director of athletics and women's basketball head coach, was interviewed for a story that aired on Bally Sports Arizona/Cronkite Sports on May 13 related to the recent opening of Legacy Sports USA/Bell Bank Park.
Artistic endeavours also took centre stage. The art exhibition, "Fate," by Laurel DeFreece and Robin VanHoozer, will be on display at Park University's Campanella Gallery from Tuesday, June 7, through Friday, July 29. The exhibit combines encaustic, mixed media, and collage techniques to depict themes of nature, truth, time, and destiny in rural America.
Apart from these, Park University has been actively involved in various events and initiatives. The Junemester/Summer Session began on June 6, and the Juneteenth Holiday Observed will take place on June 20, 2022. All University offices will be closed nationwide; Summer Session and Junemester classes will be held as scheduled.
The University also co-hosted Lesser-Known Stories of the Great War: Women, Minorities, Civilians and the Untold Symposium. The F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus Commencement will take place on June 24, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. Mountain time), Trails End Event Center.
The Park United Conference will take place from June 21-24, 2022, at the Parkville Campus, in a virtual/hybrid format. Andrea Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of art and director of the Campanella Gallery, presented a virtual public lecture on "African American Art: Fine and Folk Traditions".
The Valor Medals Review Project, being conducted by Park University's George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, was featured on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on May 26. Kirby Brown, dean of Park University's College of Management, provided the keynote address for Pittsburg (Kan.) State University's Memorial Day Observance.
Steve Youngblood, associate professor of communication arts and director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism, appeared on the Express to Impress podcast on May 27 to discuss word choice in journalism and business. Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, was interviewed for stories related to a private security firm owner claiming self-defense in a March shooting incident.
Eugene Matthews, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice administration, was interviewed for stories that aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on May 12 related to a string of suspected arsons in Caldwell County, Mo. Tim Westcott, Ph.D., associate professor of history, director of the Robb Centre, and associate archivist, represented the University at the event.
Danica Love, adjunct instructor of early childhood education, was recognised with a President's Award from Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri. The award recognises excellence in overall service unit performance in membership, volunteer leadership, and quality programs.
A reception for the artists will be held on Friday, June 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Gallery. Admission to the Campanella Gallery is free. An opinion column authored by Abhijit Mazumdar, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication arts, appeared in Sunday Guardian Live in India on May 14.
Ilya Shmukler, a graduate student at Park University's International Center for Music, has advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The quarterfinals for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition will be held tonight (Monday, June 6) at 8:15 p.m. Shmukler can be watched performing at cliburn.org/2022-webcast.
The Summer Session/Julymester Ends on July 31, 2022, and the Junemester Ends on July 3, 2022. Independence Day Holiday will take place on July 4, 2022. All University offices will be closed nationwide; Summer Session and Julymester classes will be held as scheduled.
Lastly, we would like to congratulate Allan Coy, an incoming Parkville Campus men's basketball player, on being featured in an article that aired on KQTV in St. Joseph, Mo., on May 11. Greg Volker, MPA '97, was also acknowledged for being appointed chief of police for the city of Benson, Ariz., as reported in the San Pedro Valley (Ariz.) News-Sun on May 10.
As we move forward, we are excited to see what the future holds for our Park University community. Stay tuned for more updates!
- Lorraine Moore, in addition to recent accolades, has also delved into online-education platforms, sharing insights on education-and-self-development through her online course offerings.
- Ilya Shmukler's exceptional music talent extends beyond the Park University campus, with his participation in the prestigious 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, showcasing entertainment and music at a global level.
