Local Political Upheaval: A Report for The Crow's Nest, April 2, 2021
Park University News Roundup: March-April 2021
Park University is celebrating Women's History Month by honouring significant women in its history, including Lt. Col. Sally Ann Falco ('06) who was featured on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website. Falco, a graduate of Park's Military Science and Leadership programme, is currently serving as a military police officer in the United States Army.
In other news, Jayme Uden, Ed.D., associate vice president and dean of students, was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBC-TV and KCWE-TV in Kansas City. Uden discussed various topics related to student life and campus activities.
Camelin (Cochran) Sampson, a senior organizational communication major at Park University, was honoured with the Lambda Pi Eta Top Paper Award by the Central States Communication Association for her paper on communication in the workplace.
Nikki Pauls DeSimone, visiting assistant professor of social work, was interviewed for a story that aired on WDAF-TV in Kansas City on March 27 that focused on a "Stop Asian Hate" rally. Her daughter, Yiyi, who was also interviewed, was adopted from China when she was 10.
Vince Clarke, a renowned British musician and composer, is also a member of the Park University's Board of Trustees. Known for his work with synth-pop group Erasure, Depeche Mode, and Yazoo, Clarke has won numerous awards, including the Brit Award for Best British Group and the Ivor Novello Award for his exceptional contribution to the British recording industry.
In academic news, Kendall Stockard, a senior social psychology major at Park University, was selected as the champion of the extemporaneous commentary category at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament.
Park University offers an undergraduate certificate in Unmanned Aerial System Drone Application, and the International Center for Music was featured on KWJC-FM in Kansas City on March 13-14 with 60 minutes of performances by ICM students and interviews with Stanislav Ioudenitch, artistic director and associate professor of music/piano, and pianist Kenny Broberg, ICM graduate student.
Marc King, '02, who was appointed president of Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty Inc., was featured in the Austin Business Journal. Park University also received several rankings, including being ranked No. 42 on Study.com's "Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Programs" list, and No. 10 on BachelorsDegreeCenter.org's "25 Best Bachelor's in Multimedia Design for 2021" list.
Andrea Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of art and director of the Campanella Gallery, authored the recently published book, "Tears of Transcendence." Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was the featured speaker for an International Relations Council News and Views program.
Gary Kerr has been appointed as senior director of military and veteran affairs at Park University. Kerr most recently served as department chair and professor in the Department of Military Science and Leadership at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Vince Clark, the vice chair of Park University's Board of Trustees, will present the keynote address at the All-University Commencement ceremony on May 8. Clark has served as corporate treasurer at H&R Block, Kansas City, Mo., and as an entrepreneur of a capital markets boutique advisory firm. He is also a board member of Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., where he chairs the finance committee and serves as treasurer.
Matt Harris, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was interviewed for stories related to the announcement that Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt plans to retire.
Park University's fourth annual J. Malcolm Good Mathematics Lecture will feature a virtual presentation by Nathan Albin, Ph.D., on April 8.
Park University has updated its spectator policy for Parkville Campus home athletic events and International Center for Music concerts for the remainder of the Spring 2021 semester.
Donovan Thompson, '07, was honoured by the North Central Missouri College Foundation as a member of its 2020 Distinguished Alumni Class. Lorraine Moore, development director, was appointed to the board of directors for the Great Plains SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
In the February 4 edition of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Park was ranked among the top 10 producers of minority bachelor's degrees in the following categories for 2020 - Total minority, Human Resources Management and Services, No. 6; African American, Human Resources Management and Services, No. 7; Hispanic, Human Resources Management and Services, No. 8.
Park University's Parkville Campus was highlighted on the TravelAwaits website related to a story that focused on spending a day exploring Parkville, Mo.
Lastly, Samantha Quinn, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication, co-presented the paper, "'It Allows Me to Be 'Me'': Self-Presentation, Authenticity, and Affordances Among LGBTQ+ Social Media Users" at a recent conference.
Education and self-development are central themes at Park University, as evidenced by the Lambda Pi Eta Top Paper Award granted to Camelin (Cochran) Sampson for her communication in the workplace research. Additionally, students like Kendall Stockard have demonstrated their academic growth through competitions such as the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament, where Stockard was crowned champion in the extemporaneous commentary category.
