Crow’s Nest – May 3, 2019
Park University Spearheads Effort of Congress-Led Systematic Review of Minorities Being Denied Medal of Honor
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have introduced separate bills to require the systematic review of minority veterans who served in World War I. Park University has been the driving force behind the bipartisan bills introduced in Congress on April 10 (H.R.2249) and April 11 (S.1218). The Valor Medals Review is being conducted by the University’s George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War and the Valor Medals Review Task Force which was formed in August 2018 in conjunction with the Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars on behalf of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission.
The legislation, if signed into law, will require the Department of Defense to carry out a systematic review of select members of the U.S. Armed Forces, who, in spite of valorous deeds, may have been denied the Medal of Honor due to race. The bills also waive the statute of limitations associated with any cases identified by the review, authorizing the award of a Medal of Honor to any individuals identified by the DOD in the study. The VMRTF’s research team is co-chaired by Timothy Westcott, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Park University and director of Park’s George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War. The Centre’s namesake, a 1912 Park University graduate, was a white officer in the “Harlem Hellfighters” (the mostly black 369th Regiment of New York), a World War I hero and a 1919 Medal of Honor recipient. Read complete details at park.edu/news/valor-medals-review and read about the national media coverage in the “Park in the News” section below.
Academic, Leadership Achievements Recognized at Honors Convocation, Howell Awards
Park University students, faculty and staff were recognized for their exceptional scholarly efforts from the 2018-19 academic year at the University’s annual Honors Convocation on April 24, held in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University’s Parkville Campus. The most prestigious honor bestowed on any student at Park University — the Outstanding Parkite Award — went to seniors Eric Haas, criminal justice administration/corrections major, and Iroda Narzullaeva, information and computer science/software engineering major. The Outstanding Parkite Award is given to one senior male and one senior female student on the University’s Parkville Campus who best exemplify the ideals of the University in their character, conduct, scholarship and student activity participation. Read more about all the awards presented during the Honors Convocation at park.edu/news/honors-convocation-2019.
In celebration of the leadership achievements of Park University students, faculty and staff during the 2018-19 academic year, the Office of Student Life and the Park Student Government Association co-hosted the 24th annual Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards on April 18 on the University’s Parkville Campus. The event is named for Howell, a 1944 Park graduate who was an internationally renowned leader in pediatrics and hospice care before passing away on Nov. 23, 2018. Read about the awards presented at that event at park.edu/news/howell-awards-2019.
Park Student Honored as Marine Corps Spouse of the Year
Holly Vega, a junior social psychology major, has been named the 2019 Armed Forces Insurance Marine Corps Spouse of the Year. She will be recognized at the AFI Military Spouse of the Year Awards Ceremony at Fort Myer, Va., on Thursday, May 9. Among her many accomplishments, Vega worked with the American Heart Association in founding the Military Hearts Matter program to promote heart health in the military community. Vega’s husband, Javier, a 2004 Park graduate, is stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Learn more about Vega and her accomplishments at msoy.afi.org/contestants/holly-carter-vega.
University Rolls Out Military Credit Fast App for Prospective Students
Park University is proud of its enduring relationship with the U.S. military — one that has lasted since World War I when the University accepted young men who enlisted in the U.S. Army’s Student Army Training Corps. Making higher education easy for service members to navigate is an essential way for Park us to serve those who serve our country. That’s why the University has announced a helpful new tool for prospective undergraduate students who currently serve or have served in the armed forces to maximize their military experience. Park University’s Military Credit Fast App assesses military training and experience by providing an estimate of earned military credits at Park and calculates an estimated graduation date.
The data provided to the prospective student is based on data gathered by Park University’s Registrar’s Office. Information from approximately 2,000 Park degree-seeking military students’ Joint Service Transcript or Community College of the Air Force Transcript between the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years were aggregated, and combined with the American Council on Education’s evaluation of selected military specialty/classification code training and experience, provides the estimates. The credit awarded varies based on occupation, skill level and completed military courses as listed on the prospective students’ transcripts, and applicable prior learning applied toward degree requirements. An official assessment of the credit to be provided is based on the official transcript(s) and the estimated graduation date will depend on the number of credit hours taken each term/semester.
In addition, prospective students can get this information via Park University’s Amazon Alexa skill, by saying, “Alexa, ask Park how many credits can I get for my military experience?” to an Alexa-enabled device. For more information, visit military.park.edu or view a demonstration of the Military Credit Fast App at www.youtube.com/watch?v=odrUEdZLlf0&feature=youtu.be.
Kansas City Area Commencement Set for May 11
Reggie Robinson, J.D., vice chancellor for public affairs at the University of Kansas, will present the keynote address during Park University’s Kansas City Area Commencement on Saturday, May 11. The ceremony will be held at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Mo., starting at 10 a.m. The event will include 619 Park University students eligible to graduate and participate in the ceremony — 240 students are set to receive a master’s degree and/or graduate certificate, and 379 students are scheduled to receive a bachelor’s degree, associate degree and/or undergraduate certificate.
Robinson, who presented Park University’s Dr. Jerzy Hauptmann Distinguished Guest Lecture in September 2018 on “Walls, Bridges and the Power of Empathy: Leading Effectively Within a Deeply Fragmented Society.” has served in his current role since January 2018 after spending three years as director of the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration. He also holds a faculty rank of professor of public administration.
Park Campuses Begin to Hold Commencement Ceremonies
Park University campuses across the country have started to hold commencement ceremonies for 2019 graduates. As these ceremonies continue through the year, we’ll include the link to the news releases announcing the list of graduates at each campus.
• Moody Air Force Base (Ga.) Campus
Leonard Elected 2019-20 PSGA President
Park University students have elected their representatives — executive board and senators — for the 2019-20 Park Student Government Association. Christian Leonard, a senior mathematics major, was elected president. Other executive staff elected were: vice president, Liliana Butler, sophomore nursing major; secretary, Jocelyn Clayton, junior English and secondary education major; and business manager, Ozoda Narzullaeva, sophomore information and computer science/software development major. For more information, including the list of senators elected, visit park.edu/news/psga-elections-2019-20.
Exhibit Highlights Park University’s Connection to Titanic
Park University, which has a unique connection to the Titanic, is hosting a special exhibit in the University’s Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections space. The exhibit, on display through Friday, May 31, includes items related to the Titanic and the time period, as well as pictures of two Park alumni who, along with their 10-month-old child, survived the ship’s sinking off the coast of Newfoundland on April 15, 1912. Albert and Sylvia Harbaugh Caldwell, both 1909 graduates of Park, and their son, Alden, were returning to the U.S. from a mission trip in Siam (now Thailand) when they boarded the ship in Southampton, England. Their story of what happened on the night of the sinking mirrors that of other survivors. They were one of the few families to have survived intact and, to make the tale even more compelling, Albert was one of only 14 second-class male passengers to survive out of 168.
The exhibit was designed by Carolyn Elwess, university archivist, and Fishburn Archives interns Sara Lemke and Ashlyn Weber, both senior history/public history majors. The Fishburn Archives is located near the University’s Academic Underground’s 6th Street entrance (adjacent to Breckon Sports Center). Read more about the exhibit at park.edu/news/titanic-exhibit.
Art Exhibit Features Work of Graduating Seniors
An art exhibit highlighting the work of seven Park University seniors will be on display through Friday, May 31, in the Campanella Gallery. Admission to the Gallery, located within Norrington Center of the University’s Parkville Campus, is free. A reception for the artists, also open to the public, will be held on Friday, May 10, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Gallery. The exhibit will feature work from the following students: Ellen Creed, fine art major, Liza Davis, K-12 education/art major, Gabi Mason, fine art major, Erica Mast, K-12 education/art major, Alex Meier, fine art major, Catherine Rose, fine art major, and Kyra Scalf, fine art major. For more information about the exhibit, visit park.edu/news/spring-2019-senior-exhibit.
Faculty, Staff, Student News
Park University students picked up a number of awards during the Missouri College Media Association’s annual conference on April 13 in Springfield, Mo. Park’s student newspaper, The Stylus, placed second among similar-sized four-year institutions in the state (Division 3) for best overall newspaper, and second in the sweepstakes contest in the division. Park students won 24 individual awards within their division, including eight first place awards. Those earning first place awards were:
• Emilie Heston, senior multimedia journalism/public relations major, page one design
• Jon Hokenson, junior multimedia journalism/public relations major, news writing
• Max Mohr, May 2018 graduate in interdisciplinary studies, photo page
• Arron Riffle, December 2018 graduate in multimedia journalism/public relations, feature writing, sports photography and video
• Riffle, Connor Jones, senior communication arts/journalism major, and Kalie Strain, junior multimedia journalism/public relations major, sports page
• Zartasha Sani, senior political science/American politics major, news photography
Megan Holder, associate director of assessment in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, was recognized by the Northland (Kansas City) Regional Chamber of Commerce during its annual Excellence in Education event on April 23. Holder was Park University’s honoree for the Excellence in Higher Education Award after being nominated and selected by the University’s Deans Council. She was nominated for her
leadership, ability to work with multiple constituents, and dedication, knowledge and role in Park’s successful acquisition of its regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
Stephanie Fox, area director for San Antonio operations, was one of about 50 invited guests to attend a Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone event on March 27 featuring Second Lady Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence. The MSEEZ, sponsored by Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is an effort to address the widespread challenges faced by military spouses as they search for meaningful career opportunities. Working with a broad array of public and private sector supporters, MSEEZ connects military spouses with a network of employers in the local community and a range of employment-related tools and resources.
On April 20, runners and walkers converged on the Parkville Campus to participate in the 4th annual Park University Earth Week 5K, sponsored by the Park Student Government Association. Each participant brought two or more nonperishable items for donation to the University’s Pirate Pantry; more than 200 items were collected. Glenn Lester, assistant professor of English, finished the race in first place with a time of 21:43.09.
Brian Cowley, Ph.D., professor of psychology, and Laurie DiPadova-Stocks, Ph.D., professor of public administration, co-presented a session at the Center for Scholastic Inquiry’s International Academic Research Conference in Kissimmee, Fla., on April 10. Their presentation was on “Be Fruitful and Multiply: How Procreation Influences the Discourse Concerning LGBT Issues.”
Henry Roehrich, Ph.D., associate professor of management and marketing, has been appointed to serve a second three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Marketing Management Association. The MMA is an academic association that showcases cutting-edge marketing thought, presented by practitioners and academicians.
Two research papers co-authored by Yongzhi (Joe) Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, were published (and presented by his co-authors) at the recent 2019 IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications. The article “CFHider: Control Flow Obfuscation with Intel SGX” leveraged Intel SGX, a security feature offered by recent Intel CPU, and proposed a solution to protect the confidentiality of program control flow when the program is executed on an untrusted cloud computing environment. The article “Strongly Secure and Efficient Range Queries in Cloud Databases under Multiple Keys” proposed a cryptography-based range query solution that enables multiple users with different encryption keys performing range query on a shared encrypted database.
An article authored by Jolene Lampton, Ph.D. associate professor of management, was published May 1 on the Strategic Finance
magazine (publication for the Institute of Management Accountants) website. The title of the article is “Credibility is Paramount.”
Park in the News
Tim Westcott, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, associate professor of history and associate university archivist, and Zack Austin, adjunct director of the Valor Medals Review Task Force, were both quoted in articles posted on Politico.com, ConnectingVets.com and Military.com on April 18. The stories were related to both houses of Congress introducing legislation to have records reviewed of military members from World War I who were denied the Medal of Honor due to race or religion (see lead story of the newsletter at top).
In addition, Westcott and Austin appeared on a podcast for the United States World War I Centennial Commission on April 26. The interview, which starts approximately 25:45 into the program, discussed updates to the legislation related to the Valor Medals Review Task Force that is being led by Park’s George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War.
Another story related to Park University leading the efforts to review minority World War I soldiers who were denied the Medal of Honor, aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on April 26. Westcott and Joshua Weston, freshman European/classical history major, were interviewed for the story.
The first episode of a new television program that highlights the unique, cool and quaint places around Kansas City, “Discovering Kansas City,” focused on Parkville, Mo., home of Park University’s Parkville Campus. The program, which aired on April 14 on WDAF-TV in Kansas City, included segments on the history of Parkville, featuring an interview with Carolyn Elwess, university archivist; a story about Park University’s history, featuring interviews with Elwess and Greg Gunderson, Ph.D., president; and a segment about the University’s commitment to students, featuring interviews with Gunderson, Aaliyah Brown, December 2018 graduate and currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership degree, and Sarah Zitter, senior political science/international politics major. Watch the entire program at facebook.com/DiscoveringKC/videos/299421114323870/.
A unique story about Park University’s “scare-coyote” that is placed on Julian Field to keep geese away from the field aired on KSHB-TV on April 15. Jay Griggs, sports field supervisor, was interviewed for the story. In addition, the story aired on TV stations across the country in nearly 60 markets.
Raevynn Apodaca, a senior at Poston Butte High School in San Tan Valley, Ariz., who has signed to play for the softball team at Park University’s Gilbert Campus, was featured in a story that aired on Fox Sports Arizona on April 14.
Park’s men’s volleyball team was highlighted in a story that aired on KSHB-TV on April 15. Head coach Mike Talamantes, senior outside hitter Andrea Maggio and sophomore outside hitter Felipe Guirau were all interviewed.
The KCGameOn event that Park University hosted on the Parkville Campus on April 13 was featured in a podcast on DannyClinkscale.com on April 16. The first portion of the interview is related to the KCGameOn event; starting at approximately 20:30, followed by Ben Zibers, director of student engagement, being interviewed about Park’s esports program.
A story about Jim Monaco, ’03, being honored with the National Presidential Citation Community Service Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 1057, aired on KVOA-TV in Tucson, Ariz., on April 16.
Ashley Jones, esports head coach, was interviewed for a story that aired on KCTV in Kansas City on April 16. The story was a follow-up to the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and how esports games and the detailed re-creation of buildings, such as the Cathedral in Assassin’s Creed Unity, can help rebuild the buildings.
A story about Cristian Maciel, ’07, and Marco Rabello, ’07, plans to open a new restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., appeared in INK, a publication of The Kansas City Star, on April 16. The duo, who own Taste of Brazil in the City Market, will open Chicken Please a few doors down in mid-to-late May.
A story about David Grace, ’03, being appointed men’s basketball associate head coach at Vanderbilt University appeared on the 247Sports.com website on April 16.
Brad Kleindl, Ph.D., professor of marketing, was interviewed for a story that aired on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on April 19. The story was related to trends of moving to a cashless society.
John Hamilton, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice administration, was interviewed for a story that aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on April 26-27 related policies police follow for pursuits.
A story that focused on Park University’s partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs as its official higher education partner appeared in the Platte County (Mo.) Citizen on April 25. Shane Smeed, vice president and chief operating officer, was interviewed for the story.
A feature article about Raymond Starzmann, ’70, a Harry S. Truman impersonator/entertainer who passed away in February, appeared in KC Studio magazine on April 25.
Bridget Locke, director of strategic communications, was featured in The Community Voice, a publication for the African-American community in Kansas, as an honoree for its 2019 Women Making History in Higher Education special section published April 25.
A story about the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee, which includes as its members co-chair Kirby Brown, dean of Park University’s College of Management, and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Richard Keller, member of Park’s Board of Trustees, appeared in April edition of Grow KC, the Chamber’s magazine (article starts on page 11).
Matt Harris, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was interviewed for a story that aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on April 30. The story was related to a Missouri state representative who resigned his seat amid allegations of improper conduct with an employee.
Park University was recognized by Online-Bachelor-Degrees.com on its “15 Top Online Schools for Active Military Families 2019” list.
Upcoming Events
(All events are Central time)
• Through May 31 — Titanic Exhibit, Fishburn Archives (near 6th Street Entrance to Academic Underground)
• Through May 31 — Fine Arts Seniors Art Exhibit, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center) (Reception: May 10, 2:30-4:30 p.m.)
• May 3 — Senior Graphic Design Students Exhibit, 5-9 p.m., Bauer Machine Works, Kansas City, Mo.
• May 3 — International Center for Music Concert: Dima Estanbull Graduate Violin Recital, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 4 — Grand Forks (N.D.) Air Force Base Campus Commencement, 3 p.m., Grand Forks Central High School
• May 4 — International Center for Music Concert: Anna Sorokina Graduate Viola Concert, 6 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 5 — International Center for Music Concert: Kyoshiro Hirama Undergraduate Piano Recital, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 6 — Year of Engagement Documentary Series – “G.I. Jews: Jewish Americans in World War II,” 6 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall)
• May 6 — International Center for Music Concert: Mickael Lipari-Mayer Graduate Piano Recital, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 8 — International Center for Music Concert: David Horak Undergraduate Violin Recital, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 10 — International Sash Ceremony, 5 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• May 11 — Kansas City Area May Commencement, 10 a.m., Community of Christ Auditorium, Independence, Mo.
• May 12 — Spring Semester / Spring II Term Ends
• May 13 — Maymester Begins
• May 17 — Board of Trustees Meeting, Parkville Campus
• May 17 — Naval Support Activity Mid-South Millington (Tenn.) Campus Commencement, 1 p.m., Pat Thompson Recreation Center
• May 17 — Beaufort (S.C.) Marine Corps Air Station Campus Commencement, 2 p.m., Marine Corps Recruiting Depot Parris Island (S.C.) Theater
• May 17 — Little Rock (Ark.) Air Force Base Campus Commencement, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville (Ark.) Community Center
• May 23 — Hanscom Air Force Base (Mass.) Campus Commencement, 1:30 p.m., Minuteman Commons
• May 23 — Tinker Air Force Base (Okla.) Campus Commencement, 4:30 p.m., Community Learning Center Auditorium, Rose State College
• May 24 — Austin (Texas) Campus Commencement, 7 p.m., Great Hills Baptist Church
• May 25 — Luke Air Force Base (Ariz.) Campus Commencement, 3 p.m., Park University Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus
• May 26 — Maymester Ends
• May 27 — Memorial Day Holiday (all University offices closed)
• May 30 — Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (N.C.) Campus Commencement, 9 a.m., Cherry Point Base Chapel
• May 31 — Barstow (Calif.) Community College Campus / Victor Valley College (Calif.) Campus Commencement, 6 p.m., BCC Performing Arts Center
• June 4 — F.E Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus Commencement, noon, Warren Theater
• June 4 — Whitman Air Force Base (Mo.) Campus Commencement, 2 p.m., Mission’s End
• June 6 — Scott Air Force Base (Ill.) Campus Commencement, 7 p.m., The Regency Conference Center, O’Fallon, Ill.
• June 10 — Junemester / Summer Session Begin
• June 12 — Night at the Helm, 6 p.m., National World War I Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, Mo.
• June 13 — Fairchild Air Force Base (Wash.) Campus Commencement, 4 p.m., Base Theater
• June 14 — Malmstrom Air Force Base (Mont.) Campus Commencement, Great Falls College – Montana State University Heritage Hall
Note: To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.html.