The Crow’s Nest Newsletter — April 7, 2025
Dr. Paul Orscheln Appointed Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services
Paul Orscheln, Ed.D., was appointed to the role of vice president of enrollment and student services at Park University, effective March 3. As VPESS, Orscheln will provide strategic and operational leadership to a department that includes enrollment and student services, international student admissions and services, student financial services, marketing, campus center operations and athletics. His main responsibilities will be directing recruitment efforts according to the University’s strategic direction and mission; working closely with colleagues on overarching University policies and procedures, including institutional financial strategy and the student educational cycle from enrollment through graduation; and addressing issues of access, affordability, college readiness and the K-16 pipeline, and student success.
Orscheln was selected as VPESS for his proven track record in enrollment strategy, student success and institutional growth. He brings 26 years of experience in student success and enrollment, with the last 13 years at the executive level. Prior to joining Park, Orscheln served as vice president of enrollment services and student affairs at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., since October 2019. Read more about Orscheln at park.edu/news/paul-orscheln.
Park University’s Giving Day Set for April 30-May 1
Park University’s 2025 Giving Day will be held between noon (Central time) on Wednesday, April 30, and noon (Central time) on Thursday, May 1. Giving Day is an opportunity for the University community to show pride and gratitude for the impact Park has on each of us, in our communities and around the world. You can make a gift of any size to the area(s) you are passionate about. Whether you are an employee, student, alumna/alumnus, parent or friend of Park, you are part of this special community.
As Park University celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Office of University Advancement has established a goal of 150 donors on Giving Day. You can support Park University in the area(s) of the institution that means the most to you. As part of a yearlong recurring donor initiative, consider a monthly gift of $18.75 to reflect Park’s inaugural year. Your generosity will create lasting change for Park University students. For more information or to provide a gift on Giving Day, visit give.park.edu/2025-giving-day.
Park’s Bookstore Selling 150th Anniversary Items
The Park University Barnes and Noble Bookstore has two items on sale celebrating Park University’s 150th anniversary, with a third item available soon. These items can be found at park.spirit.bncollege.com/?query=150th&_ref=p-GALP:m-SEARCH. The items can also be purchased in-person in the Bookstore, located in the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground on Park’s flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus.
The items for purchase include a short-sleeve T-shirt for $24.98 (sizes S-2XL) and a coffee mug for $16.98. Coming soon will be a men’s polo for $44.98 (sizes S-2XL). Faculty and staff (by showing Park ID), and alumni who purchase items in the Parkville Campus bookstore are eligible to receive a 10 percent discount.
Park University Signs Agreement with KU’s ROTC Program
On March 5, Park University President Shane Smeed and Lt. Col. Calvin Taetzsch, department chair and professor of military science at the University of Kansas, signed an agreement for KU to provide ROTC instruction and training to qualified students at Park. The agreement is part of the U.S. Army’s Cadet Command realignment efforts which go into effect in Fall 2025. Park will join two other Kansas City area universities as part of KU’s ROTC Jayhawk Battalion after previously being aligned with the Pony Express Battalion.
Registration Deadline Nears for Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium
Park University’s annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium showcases the scholarly and creative work of students from all disciplines and campuses across the University. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit course work or independent research or creative projects developed with a faculty member’s supervision, either single or collaboratively-authored that take the form of: posters presenting laboratory or other applied research findings; research papers and oral presentations (oral presentations limited to 10 minutes); visual art and graphic design installations; musical presentations; and virtual presentations (slide or video presentations uploaded to Symposium website).
This year’s Symposium will be held Monday-Tuesday, April 21-22, in Park Avenue (within the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground) and McCoy Meetin’ House on the University’s flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus. For more information or to register (deadline is Friday, April 11), visit park.edu/academics/honors-academy/student-research-creative-arts-symposium or contact Joshua Mugg, Ph.D., director of the Honors Academy and associate professor of philosophy, at jmugg@park.edu.
Park ICM Concert Season Coming to a Close
The Park University International Center for Music’s 2024-25 season will host its final two concerts of the season in a span of 12 days. The ICM Orchestra’s season finale performance on Friday, April 25, will feature guest conductor Barbara Yahr, music director of the Greenwich Village Orchestra in New York, as well as ICM graduate student cellist Diyorbek Nortojiev, who will perform a cello concerto. That concert will be held in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University’s flagship Parkville Campus starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information about this concert, visit park.edu/news/icm-orchestra-2025-season-finale. Admission to the concert is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP in advance.
The ICM’s season will come to an end on Wednesday, May 7, as the father-daughter duo of pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch, Park ICM founder and artistic director, and violinist Maria Ioudenitch will perform on Wednesday, May 7, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the 1900 Building in Mission Woods, Kan. This concert is being held in partnership with NAVO. Tickets for this concert are $30 for the general public and $10 for students, and are available in advance through Eventbrite. For more information about the concert, visit icm.park.edu/park-icm-in-partnership-with-navo-presents-stanislav-ioudenitch-and-maria-ioudenitch.
Faculty, Staff, Student News
Park University’s Board of Trustees approved promotion and/or tenure for the following faculty during its meeting on March 6, effective with the start of the 2025-26 academic year on Aug. 1.
• Azin Agah, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of chemistry and approved for tenure
• Sam Chamberlin, Ph.D., promoted to professor of mathematics
• David Grover, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of English and approved for tenure
• Stacey Kikendall, Ph.D., promoted to professor of English
• Rebecca Kudrna, Ph.D., promoted to professor of sport and exercise science and approved for tenure
• Karman Romero, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of nursing and approved for tenure
• Michael Swoboda, D.H.Sc., promoted to associate teaching professor of sport and exercise science
Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, was honored by the Parkville (Mo.) Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council on March 1 with the Spark Plug Award during the organization’s gala event on March 1. The award recognizes a business or person who has shown an extra “spark of enthusiasm for the community or chamber in the past year.
Lynh Nguyen, senior psychology major, has been accepted into the U.S. National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. This summer, Nguyen will work in the infant cognition lab at the University of Missouri – Columbia, gaining hands-on research experience in infant cognitive development. This experience will allow Nguyen to refine research skills, engage with leading scholars and contribute to the field of developmental psychology. The NSFREU program will provide Nguyen with a stipend, accommodations, meals and support to present research findings at a conference next year.
Dan Gerber, director of academic retention initiatives, participated in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb – Kansas City on March 2 that took place at One Kansas City Place in Kansas City, Mo, the tallest building in Missouri. Gerber competed in the event’s Ultimate Climb, a one-hour challenge to climb the building’s 902 stairs as many times as possible. In total, Gerber climbed 5,412 stairs, equivalent to 234 floors. For the official timed contest, Gerber’s first lap was timed at 8:37, finishing 10th overall and third in his age group.
Eleven Park University faculty presented sessions at the Kansas City Professional Development Council’s Enhancing Teaching and Learning Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on March 1. Those presenting:
• Amber Dailey-Hebert, Ph.D., director of the Faculty Center for Innovation and professor of organizational leadership and adult learning, “Learning as the New Competitive Advantage” (keynote address)
• Dianna Carmenaty, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice administration, “Amplifying Learning: The Power of Podcasting as an Auditory Academic Tool”
• Nikki Pauls DeSimone, assistant professor of social work, and Leslie Jensby, director of the Bachelor of Social Work program and associate teaching professor of social work, “The Impact of Student Learning through Simulation”
• Toni-Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing, and Stacy Yeager-Okosi, D.Mgt., associate professor of business analytics, “Setting the Tone for Engagement and Belonging on Day 1: A Cross Discipline, Multi-Modal Approach”
• Brandi Handley, assistant teaching professor of English, Courtney Rilinger, Ph.D., assistant professor of communications, and Alivia Zubrod, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, “Teaching First Year Students: Connection, Inclusion and Belonging”
• Adrian James, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Management and associate professor of management, “Lessons in Leadership and Learning”
• Robert Kao, Ph.D., professor of economics, “Adopting Digital Intelligence in the Classroom”
Park University’s George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War hosted the 67th annual Missouri Conference on History and the 18th Midwest Regional Meeting of Phi Alpha Theta (National History Honor Society), March 12-14, in Blue Springs, Mo. Timothy Westcott, Ph.D., professor of history, associate university archivist and director of the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, was the conference steering committee president and organizer of the conference. He also presented on “Thomas Hart Benton: U.S. Navy Comoufleur” during a session on “Biography in the Midwest.”
A trio of Park University faculty presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting in Denver, March 13-14. Dianna Carmenaty, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on “Exploring Criminal Justice Practitioners’ Highest Level of Education and Number of Citizens Complaints” during the session on Police Culture and Organizational Justice: Gender, Education and Accountability.” John Hamilton, Ph.D., professor emeritus of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on “Community Justice and the KC360 Violence Prevention Project” during the session on Research on Restorative Justice and Violence Prevention and Intervention. Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on “Diversity and Recidivism in Platte County, Missouri, Treatment Courts” during the session on Problem Solving Court. In addition, Plumb chaired a session on Programs and Policies of Special Needs Populations.
Park University was well-represented at the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society’s annual convention, March 19-22, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Nash Porter (left), senior English major, won a $500 prize in the Common Reader category for his critical essay, “Exploring the ‘Not-Knowing’ in Diaz’s ‘Amaranth Gates.’” According to Stacey Kikendall (right), Ph.D., associate professor of English and chair of the Department of English and Disciplinary Studies, this is the third consecutive year a Park student has won an award at the convention. Other Park presentations: Kaya Barringer, junior English/professional writing major, presented a short story, “Elizabeth Fisher’s Day Out”; Haley Wathen, senior English/professional writing major, presented a short story, “A Silver Branch”; and Eli Wilhelm, senior English major, presented creative nonfiction, “A Cabin I Recall,” and a critical essay, “Why Her Brother was an Aztec.” In addition, Kikendall moderated two sessions, “Creative Nonfiction: Drawing from Childhood” and “Deep Dives into Natalie Diaz.”
Two Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus athletes earned national NAIA weekly honors in March. Senior baseball catcher Ricardo Hernandez was named NAIA Baseball Player of the Week for his performance the week of March 3, hitting .727 (8-for-11) with five home runs, 15 runs batted in and 5 runs scored. He also posted a .813 on-base percentage and 2.182 slugging percentage. For the week of March 17, freshman Rosjai Curtis earned the NAIA Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week. In her outdoor track and field debut, Curtis earned two national championship qualifying marks, including an A-standard in the long jump with a leap of 5.90 meters, which is second-best in Park history, and she achieved a B-standard in the triple jump at 11.91 meters.
Park in the News
Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, was a panelist as part of a live interview that aired on KCUR-FM’s “Up to Date” in Kansas City on March 4. The 25-minute segment focused on how the general public is getting more involved in town halls, legislative hearings and the political process since President Donald Trump took office.
That same afternoon, Harris was interviewed for stories that aired on KCTV in Kansas City related to how area shoppers are preparing for increased grocery prices due to tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico.
Harris was interviewed by RTVI, a Russian-language television network based in New York City, on March 27, related to President Donald Trump floating a tariff reduction if China agrees to a TikTok deal.
Violinist David Radzynski, ’14, and pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, Park University International Center for Music director of collaborative piano, performed live on Kansas Public Radio on March 12 in advance of their concert on March 14.
As part of a series of features for Women’s History Month, Lisovskaya-Sayevich and Nicole Price, M.E. ’15, were highlighted in separate stories in The Independent, Kansas City’s journal of society, on March 22.
A story about Symirah Gray, a senior at Poston Butte High School in San Tan Valley, Ariz., signing a letter-of-intent to play women’s basketball at Park University’s Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus, appeared in Pinal Central, a news source for Pinal County, Ariz., on March 12.
Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus men’s basketball player Raliek Redd was highlighted as part of a story shared on the Medium website on March 13. The article provided distinct and offbeat stories of the oldest non-NCAA Division I college basketball players from the 2024-25 season.
A story about Lupe Valdovino, senior management major, being hired as the grant manager for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County (Kan.) and Kansas City, Kan., appeared on the UGWCKCK website on March 20.
Susan Keim, Ph.D., associate professor of public administration, was interviewed for a story that aired on KSHB-TV on March 21 related to a potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Leavenworth, Kan.
International Center for Music students Nikita Korzukhin, cellist, and Ali Mammadoff, pianist, appeared live on Kansas Public Radio on March 25 in advance of their recital on March 27.
Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus senior baseball player Alex Rodriguez was featured in the Platte County (Mo.) Citizen on March 26. Rodriguez recently broke the school record for runs scored and at-bats, and is just a few hits shy of breaking the Pirates’ record in that category.
Vanessa Pearce, MPA ’12, who serves as the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wichita, Kan., participated in a nearly 30-minute interview on the “Issues with Steve McIntosh” program on KNSS radio in Wichita on March 30.
Upcoming Events
(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
• Through April 26 — Art Exhibit: RE: Generation Community Artists, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
• April 16 — Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards, 6 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall); Reception: 7 p.m., Norrington Center
• April 21-22 — Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium, Parkville Campus
• April 23 — Honors Convocation, 6 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• April 25 — International Center for Music Concert: ICM Orchestra with Guest Conductor Barbara Yahr, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 2 — School of Education Cording Ceremony, 7 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall)
• May 3 — Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. (Arizona time), Delta Hotels by Marriott / Phoenix-Mesa, Mesa, Ariz.
• May 7 — International Center for Music Concert: Pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch and Violinist Maria Ioudenitch, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
• May 9 — Ellen Finley Earhart Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 9 — Graduation Final Walk, 3:30 p.m., Parkville Campus (start at Norrington Center courtyard)
• May 9 — International Sash Ceremony, 5 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 10 — Kansas City Area Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m., Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Mo.
• May 11 — Spring Semester / Spring II Classes End
• May 12 — Founders Day: Park University’s 150th Anniversary
• May 12 — Maymester Begins
• May 12 — Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 4 p.m., Warren Theater, Warren AFB
• May 16 — Board of Trustees Meeting, Parkville Campus
• May 25 — Maymester Ends
• May 26 — Memorial Day Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed)
To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.