Park University Honors Academic Successes from 2021-22 School Year
Park University Honours Outstanding Students and Faculty at Annual Convocation
On the 20th of April, 2022, Park University held its annual Honours Convocation, recognising the achievements of its students and faculty. Among the honourees were two exceptional seniors, Sophie Roper and Bayan Salam, who received the prestigious Outstanding Parkite Award.
Sophie Roper, a business administration/computer information management and logistics major, boasts a 4.11 grade point average and is a member of Park's Honors Academy. Roper has shown exemplary leadership within the university community, serving as president of the Business and Investment Club and a Park Student Government Association senator. In addition, Roper authored an article titled "Ethicality of Data Mining and Predictive Analytics," which was published in the Summer 2021 edition of the Undergraduate Research Journal.
Bayan Salam, a criminal justice administration/law enforcement and psychology major, has a 3.89 grade point average and has been honoured three years in a row by the criminal justice department. Salam was also inducted into Psi Chi, the international honour society in psychology, and was named the 2021 Park Servant of the Year. In Fall 2021, Salam was crowned Park University homecoming queen.
In recognition of their exceptional teaching, Karen Ratliff, Ph.D., adjunct instructor of business administration from Chicago, Ill., and Diane Simpson, Ed.S., assistant professor of education from Kansas City, Mo., received the Provost's Award for Teaching Excellence. Greg Claycomb, professor of chemistry from Leavenworth, Kan., received the J.L. Zwingle Award, while Dmitry Gimon, Ph.D., associate professor of information systems and business analytics from Kansas City, Mo., received the Excellence in Academic Advising Award. Joshua Mugg, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy from Kansas City, Mo., received the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award.
The Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award was established by Manuchair Ebadi, Ph.D., a 1960 Park graduate who passed away in January 2015, in honour of Delta Gier, Ph.D., a former chair of the Department of Chemistry who served Park from 1948 to 1990. Additional Presidential Awards and Faculty/Staff Awards were presented at the event.
Rebekah Rothacher, senior chemistry major from Kansas City, Mo. (attended Northland Christian Academy), received the Louisa Davidson Hinde / Carolyn Hinde Zarkaryan Memorial Award.
The Outstanding Parkite Award is typically given to students, faculty, or staff who demonstrate outstanding involvement, leadership, and contributions to the Park University community. The criteria generally include outstanding leadership and service to the university community, positive representation of the university values, significant contributions to campus life or academic excellence, and a commitment to improving the university environment. For exact and up-to-date criteria, Park University’s official website or student affairs office would be the most reliable sources.
Sophie Roper, through her exceptional academic performance and leadership roles, embodies the criteria for the Outstanding Parkite Award, which emphasizes education-and-self-development and personal-growth, as demonstrated by her authorship of an article on ethical data mining and her positions in student organizations.
Bayan Salam's dedication to study in criminal justice, psychology, and her involvement in various honors societies and university activities, such as being crowned homecoming queen, demonstrate her commitment to learning and personal growth, aligning with the Outstanding Parkite Award's focus on academic excellence and contributions to campus life.
