Emporia State University - Recent News

Students receive full-ride scholarships to attend Emporia State University

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:10:00 -0500

Emporia State University recently awarded three Virginia Endly Memorial Scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year. The Endly scholarship is a full-ride scholarships offered by the university.

The 2011-12 Endly scholars are:

Amy Bretches of McPherson, a junior computer science major. This is her third consecutive year to receive an Endly scholarship.
Kate Slayton of Tecumseh, a sophomore psychology major. This is her second consecutive year to receive an Endly.
Chelsea Mock of Cottonwood Falls, a freshman biology major with a pre-med emphasis.

H. Merle Endly, whose family has a long history with Emporia State University dating back early 1900’s when ESU was Kansas State Normal School, established this scholarship to honor his sister Virginia Endly.

The scholarship is equal to current in-state tuition and fees, the current Resident Hall fee (double room) including the full meal plan and the current average cost of books. Recipients must be full-time students in good academic standing and are eligible to reapply.

11 Birthdays, Confetti Girl selected for White book awards

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:38:00 -0500

Two books about young girls dealing with growing pains have been judged the best by Kansas schoolchildren.

“11 Birthdays” by Wendy Mass (Scholastic Books) and “Confetti Girl” by Diana Lopez (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) are the recipients of the 2011 William Allen White Children’s Book Awards.

The William Allen White Children’s Book Award program was founded in 1952 by Ruth Garver Gagliardo, a specialist in children’s literature for Emporia State University. One of the few literary awards that asks young readers to choose the winners, the program is directed by Emporia State University and supported in part by the Trusler Foundation.

Both authors have been invited to the awards celebration, set for Saturday, Oct. 6, in Emporia.

“11 Birthdays,” selected by voters in Grades 3 through 5, is the story of Amanda, who is excited to celebrate her 11^th birthday — except everything goes wrong, starting with not celebrating with her best friend, Leo. They’ve shared every birthday of their life, but are on the outs.

When Amanda goes to sleep that night, she’s just glad the day’s over. But, the next morning, her birthday starts all over again.

“I was really thrilled and honored to learn that 11 Birthdays had won the William Allen White Children’s Book Award,” said Mass. “I had so much fun writing this book about friendship, forgiveness, and second chances (and third, fourth, fifth chances, etc!). It means a lot to me to know that the children of Kansas had fun reading it. What more could a writer ask for?”

Mass is the New York Times best-selling author of 12 novels for young people, which have been translated into 14 languages and nominated for 50 state book awards. Her titles include “A Mango-Shaped Space,” which was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association; “Leap Day,” the “Twice Upon a Time” fairy tale series, “Every Soul a Star,” “Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall,” “Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life” and “Finally.” Her most recent books are “The Candymakers” and “13 Gifts.”

Mass writes more than books — she wrote the storyline for an episode of the television show “Monk,” titled “Mr. Monk Goes to the Theatre,” which aired during the show’s second season. She tells people her hobbies are hiking and photography, but really they're collecting candy bar wrappers and searching for buried treasure with her metal detector. She lives with her family in New Jersey.

“Confetti Girl,” chosen by readers in Grades 6 through 8, is a clever and honest story of a young Latina girl navigating growing pains in her South Texas city. Apolonia “Lina” Flores is a sock enthusiast, a volleyball player, a science lover, and a girl who’s just looking for answers.

Even though her house is crammed full of books (her dad’s a bibliophile), she’s having trouble figuring out some very big questions, like why her dad seems to care about books more than her, why her best friend’s divorced mom is obsessed with making cascarones (hollowed eggshells filled with colorful confetti), and, most of all, why her mom died last year. Like colors in cascarones, Lina’s life is a rainbow of people, interests, and unexpected changes.

“What makes winning the William Allen White Award so special is that students select the winner,” Lopez said. “I used to teach middle school, so as I wrote ‘Confetti Girl,’ I kept thinking about my students. I wanted to write a book that they would like. That's why I got so excited when I heard I won the award. Thank you, Kansas!”

During the October awards celebration, schoolchildren from across the state of Kansas travel to Emporia for special events including lock-ins, author readings and book signings along with a parade through downtown Emporia to the awards ceremony itself. Many teachers use travel to the book awards as incentives in their school reading programs.

Additional resources:

William Allen White Children’s Book Awards: www.emporia.edu/libsv/wawbookaward/
Scholastic Books: www2.scholastic.com
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers: www.hatchettebookgroup.com
Wendy Mass: www.wendymass.com.
Diana Lopez: www.dianalopezbooks.com

Dr. Ken Weaver named dean of Emporia State University’s Teachers College

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:56:00 -0500

An educator with more than 40 years experience in the profession is the new dean of The Teachers College at Emporia State University.

Dr. Ken Weaver, currently associate dean of the college, was named to the lead position Thursday, May 17, 2012. He replaces Dr. Phil Bennett, who retires June 9.

“After a national search, Dr. Weaver's track record as a leader having served as a department chair, interim dean and associate dean will be invaluable to The Teachers College as it continues its legacy of excellence,” said Provost Tes Mehring in making the announcement. “Ken is respected as an excellent teacher and scholar, and is actively engaged in his profession and university committees.”

Emporia State’s Teachers College is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a one of only three models for teacher education. It recently earned reaccreditation from NCATE, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

“Ken’s experience with accreditation in many disciplines housed within the college will position programs well for continued recognition,” Mehring added.

“The Teachers College has sustained excellence preparing professionals and serving Kansans for nearly 150 years,” Weaver said, noting that The Teachers College includes more than education preparation programs. It also includes nationally recognized and accredited undergraduate and graduate programs in mental health, rehabilitation services, art therapy, psychology, athletic training, recreation and leadership.

“As the new dean of The Teachers College, I look forward to engaging our students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as our P-12 partners in USD 253 and throughout the state, our community college partners, the business community and elected officials to create new opportunities for excellence.

“We must work together to provide the best opportunities to develop our students to meet the needs of the people of Kansas and the nation through teaching them, healing them and strengthening them,” Weaver said.

Weaver received his bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s of education degree in science education from the University of South Carolina and his Ph.D. in educational psychology from Columbia University.

He has served the Emporia State community since 1986, but his teacher career began long before that. In 1973, he served as a Peace Corps volunteers in rural public health education in a small fishing village in the Philippines. After returning to the United States, he taught seventh- and eighth-grade science in Aiken, S.C., and remains certified to teach middle- and high-school science in both South Carolina and Kansas.

During Weaver’s 26 years at Emporia State, he not only has taught education and psychology classes, but he also has directed the Emporia State Honors Program and the 1992 Kansas Regents Honors Academy. He has served as chair of the Department of Psychology and Special Education and associate dean and interim dean of The Teachers College. In 1999, Weaver was named the Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor.

A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Weaver recently finished chairing the American Psychological Association working group that developed national guidelines for credentialing high school psychology teachers. He received the 2002 Robert S. Daniel award for teaching excellence from APA's Society for Teaching of Psychology and the 2006 Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award from Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology.

He currently is president of the Kansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and has written more than 50 articles, 10 chapters, a study guide for a textbook and a book on statistics.

Weaver also is well-known in the Emporia community where he and his wife, Katherine, have raised four children. Weaver has served as a Boy Scout and Cub Scout leader and youth softball coach.

He credits the support of his family for much of his success. Katherine Weaver is a substitute teacher for Emporia Public Schools. Daughter Merriam Weaver graduated from Emporia State University and works as a rehabilitation counselor in Bowling Green, Ohio. Son Andrew is a graduate student at Kansas State University. Daughter Katie is completing her junior year at Emporia State and has been accepted to the pharmacy school at the University of Kansas in the fall. Daughter Janet plans to major in teacher education when she enters Emporia State in the fall.

Emporia State's Carmen Leeds Named NAAC Division II Excellence Award Winner

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:47:00 -0500

Emporia State Senior Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations/Senior Woman Administrator Carmen Leeds has been named the inaugural Division II Excellence Award winner by the National Association for Athletics Compliance.

Leeds has served as the senior associate AD for internal operations/SWA at Emporia State since 2000. She oversees areas of NCAA compliance, CHAMPS/Life Skills, student-athlete services, game management and athletic training, as well as the student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) and community service.

"It is an honor to receive the NAAC Division II Excellence Award." said Leeds. "I am fortunate to have 10 years of compliance experience and the opportunity to share my knowledge with others. It is important we assist each other as we strive to be diligent in fulfilling our duties in the ever changing world of compliance."

Leeds is a leader both in the MIAA and nationally, staying abreast of compliance issues and not shying away from looking up interpretations and sharing best practices from her experiences. She embodies the qualities that make a strong compliance professional – integrity, intelligence and a strong sense for the right way to do things.

"Carmen is very deserving of this award," said ESU Director of Athletics Kent Weiser. "She has helped Emporia State establish a highly respected, national reputation in the area of NCAA and MIAA compliance. If a situation regarding rule compliance occurs, she uses it as an educational experience for our coaches and staff."

At the national level, she currently serves on the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and NCAA Student-Athlete Affairs Advisory Committee. Carmen was selected as a 2011 NCAA Pathways Program participant. At the conference level she is the chair of the Legislation and Handbook Committee and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee liaison for the MIAA. She is a past member of the NCAA Division II National Women’s Basketball Committee and NCAA Softball Regional Advisory Committee. Carmen also has been asked to be a facilitator at the NCAA Student Athlete Affairs Symposia, NCAA Leadership Conference, the NCAA Division II Regional Leadership Conference, NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills Orientation Conference.

“We had a record number of individuals nominated for the 2012 NAAC Awards and on behalf of the Officers and Board, we want congratulate this year’s winners,” said Awards Committee Chair Jennifer Condaras, assistant commissioner for compliance, Big East Conference. “As the compliance profession continues to be on the forefront of the rules and regulations at each institution, these individuals have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to the compliance profession and were deserving nominees for their respective awards.”

The full slate of NAAC award winners will be honored June 25 during the NAAC Convention at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Three named for University Service Citation at ESU

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:40:00 -0500

Emporia State University will honor a trio of “doers and givers” with 2012 University Service Citation awards next month. Recognizing outstanding volunteer work, the awards will be presented Friday, June 8.

All three University Service Citation winners are from Wichita — Jay and Sharon Bezdek earned bachelor’s degrees in accounting from ESU in 1969, and have distinguished themselves as volunteers for Alumni Association activities in south-central Kansas. Jay, a retired financial consultant, has served on the ESU Alumni Association board of directors and is active in Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity. Sharon, a retired real estate agent, is past president of the South Central Alumni chapter planning committee and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. The Bezdeks moved to Wichita from Dodge City in 2003.

“Sharon and Jay are a vital part of the energy of the South Central alumni chapter,” said Mim Hiesterman, South Central alumni coordinator. Both help plan the chapter’s golf tournaments, assist with luncheons for area schoolteachers, and encourage prospective students to attend ESU.

Ken Hush is a 1982 Bachelor of Science in Business graduate who recently completed a term as chairperson of the ESU Foundation board of trustees. He is president of Koch Carbon, LLC, a global bulk commodities marketing and logistics network. A 1995 inductee in ESU’s Athletics Hall of Honor as a tennis player, Hush is a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and Blue Key.

“Ken is a tireless supporter of everything ESU,” said Charles “Skip” Evans of Emporia in nominating Hush. “He’s always looking for ways to give back to the university that has impacted his life.”

The three award recipients will be honored during ESU’s Volunteer Appreciation Event, which includes a tour of the Memorial Union renovation project prior to a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. dinner in the Union’s Webb Hall.

“We’re inviting our many volunteers to this dinner as a way to thank them for their service during the past year,” said Tyler Curtis, alumni relations director. “Volunteers who give their time and talent to ESU are the lifeblood of the alumni association, and their efforts greatly enhance the university’s ability to advance its mission.”

Graduates celebrate milestone with family and friends

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:18:00 -0500

Cheers with some air horns added in filled William Lindsay White Auditorium in Emporia on Saturday morning as undergraduates crossed the stage to collect their diplomas from Emporia State University. At the same time, graduate degrees were presented in Albert Taylor Hall on the Emporia State campus.

Nearly 600 students were candidates for bachelor’s degrees. Another 283 were candidates for graduate degrees. The threat of inclement weather moved the ceremonies from Welch Stadium. But the move didn’t diminish the air of celebration for the family and friends of those receiving their bachelor’s degrees at White.

“On behalf of the faculty and administration, I extend our congratulations to you,” said Dr. Michael D. Shonrock, overseeing his first commencement ceremony as Emporia State president. “We look forward to your future achievements as you continue your careers and graduate education.”

Lana Oleen, chair of the Emporia State University Foundation board of trustees, advised the students on three essential items to pack into their backpacks as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. Oleen, who earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Emporia State, taught 12 years in the classroom — and was named a Kansas Master Teacher — before being elected a Kansas state senator. She served in the senate or six years, including as Kansas Senate Majority Leader, and now owns Lana Oleen Consulting.

Energy was the first item to pack, Oleen said, noting that much energy is given away through work, family commitments and other priorities.

“Remember, even if you fall flat on your face from time to time, you are still moving forward,” she said.

Each student should pack the skill set learned during their time at Emporia State, said Oleen, who told she learned to actively listen, continually think, encourage collaboration and to speak in public.

These skills that were so useful in the classroom were equally useful in the Kansas Senate, she added.

Finally, Oleen told the graduates, remember to take understanding with them.

“Understand what it takes to live happy and successful in today’s world,” she said. “No matter where you started, we need you to participate in the future we all share.”

Emporia State University moves Saturday’s commencement indoors

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:03:00 -0500

Because of a significant threat of rain overnight and on Saturday morning, Emporia State University officials have decided to move commencement ceremonies indoors.

“The National Weather Service is predicting a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms and rain through the night and increasing the chance of rain to 40 percent through Saturday morning,” said Mark Runge, director of facilities for Emporia State.

Under the inclement weather policy, commencement ceremonies will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in two locations:

Undergraduate degrees will be conferred at White Auditorium, 111 E. Sixth Ave. This ceremony will be available by live video stream. Click here for more information.

Graduate degrees will be conferred in Albert Taylor Hall inside Plumb Hall on the Emporia State campus.

Guild memberships benefit Emporia State theater department

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:44:00 -0500

The Emporia Theatre Guild at Emporia State University is accepting 2012-13 memberships. Guild members receive a ticket to each of the four Summer Theatre shows, the Homecoming musical, three additional shows of the 2012-13 season of ESU Theatre and the spring 2013 dance show.

In addition, guild members are invited to opening-night receptions for Summer Theatre and the Homecoming musical.

The four 2012 Summer Theatre productions are:

“Dearly Beloved” by Jones, Hope & Wooten, June 13 to 16, a comedy. The three Futrelle sisters are throwing a wedding in their hometown of Fayro, Texas. But nothing is working out and now the bride and her groom are missing. As the sisters try to figure out a way to salvage the wedding, they reunite their old gospel-singing group “The Sermonettes.”
“The Fox on the Fairway” by Ken Ludwig, June 27 to 30, farce. This tribute to English farces of the ’30s and ’40s is set in the Quail Valley Country Club where three love affairs are played out against the world of amateur golf, bad sweaters and exploding vases.
“Leaving Iowa” by Tim Clue and Spike Manton, July 11 to 14, comedy. Don Browning is a middle-age writer who returns to Iowa to take his father’s ashes to his boyhood home. He brings his wife and the two kids along and makes a family vacation of it with amusing, surprising and familiar results.
“U:Bug:Me” by Jeremiah Clay Neal, July 25 to 28, family musical. Life isn’t easy when you are a bug and Pico the housefly knows this only too well. His best friend is mad at him, his girlfriend — a caterpillar — is going through changes and an enormous horsefly is terrorizing him. This is a clever new musical for the whole family that recently enjoyed its world premiere at Kansas City’s Coterie Theatre.

All Summer Theatre shows are performed in Karl C. Bruder Theatre in King Hall with curtain time at 7:30 p.m. except the final performance of “U:Bug:Me,” which is an afternoon matinee.

The four 2012-13 productions are:

“Guys and Dolls,” Homecoming musical, Oct. 11 to 14. Desperate to find money to pay for his floating crap game, Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson a thousand dollars that Sky will not be able to take a local Salvation Army doll, Sarah Brown, to Cuba. While Sky eventually is able to convince Sarah to join him, Nathan battles with his fiancé of fourteen years, Adelaide. Critics call Frank Loesser’s classic Broadway show the “perfect American musical.”
“Inspecting Carol” by Daniel Sullivan, Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. A struggling theatre company is mounting its annual production of “A Christmas Carol” when they learn that their NEA grant — and their future — is on the line. They mistake an aspiring actor/accountant for the inspector and let him take over the show with hilarious results.
“Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel, Feb. 27 to March 2, 2013. It is 1936 and harvest time in County Donegal. In a house just outside the village of Ballybeg live the five Mundy sisters. The two male members of the household are brother Jack, a missionary priest, and the 7-year-old child of the youngest sister. Irish dramatist Brian Friel depicts two momentous days in the life of this family with humor, pathos and wonder.
“Brownstone” by Catherine Butterfield, April 10 to 13 and April 17 to 20, 2013. Three points of time converge in a New York brownstone, spanning eighty years and encompassing the lives of three pairs of people. There are newlyweds who long to move to Paris, aspiring actresses who struggle to get their big break, and a newly engaged couple that finds their relationship complicated by an unexpected pregnancy. This is an exciting and memorable new play by an important new playwright.

Theatre Guild memberships — eight shows and two dinners — cost $125, with a $30 tax-deductible gift to scholarships. Memberships must be purchased by May 23, for donors to be included in the Summer Theatre Playbill.

Reservations for the June 13 opening night reception may be taken through June 8.

For more information or to receive a membership form, contact Barb Ternes at (620) 341-5256.

Teachers College recognizes retiring faculty

Tue, 8 May 2012 10:14:00 -0500

Seven faculty members of The Teachers College received special recognition at the 27th Annual Teachers College Honors Banquet held May 6 at Emporia State University.

Dr. Phil Bennett is retiring as Dean and Professor of The Teachers College. Bennett was selected as dean of the college in 2009, taking over for Dr. Tes Mehring, who became ESU’s provost and vice-president for academic affairs in May 2008. Bennett served as associate dean of college since 2001, twice filling the role of interim dean during the fall semesters of 2004 and 2006.

Prior to his ESU service, Bennett was dean of the School of Education at Lander University in Greenwood, SC, served as coordinator of teacher education for the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), directed teacher education and served as a faculty member at MidAmerica Nazarene University, and taught mathematics at the college and high school levels.

Bennett worked at the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) headquarters in Washington, D.C. during a sabbatical in 2008. NCATE is the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges, and departments of education in the United States.

Over the course of his career, Bennett authored or co-authored grants of bringing in more than $1,000,000. He authored or co-authored a number of articles and numerous presentations at a variety of state, regional, and national conventions.

Dr. Larry Clark retired as Executive Director of the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence. In a career spanning almost five decades, he worked as teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent.

Before coming to ESU, Clark was the superintendent at Burlington USD 244. His research interest is computer networking and he has presented at Kansas Association of School Boards and National Association of School Boards conventions. Clark is a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and National Association of School Administrators.

Dr. Eileen Hogan is retiring as Professor of Early Childhood Education. Prior to coming to ESU, she was on the faculty of Southwest Baptist University, Stephens College, and Bethany College.

At ESU, Hogan has chaired the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education and directed the Early Childhood Programs. Currently, she is the Professional Development School coordinator in Kansas City, KS.

She has made numerous presentations at state, regional, and national presentations and has published articles and chapters in journals such as Multicultural Perspectives and is co-author of the book Essential Spanish Phrasebook for Teachers. She served on numerous community, ESU, and Kansas State Department of Education committees including the Butler County Community College EC Board, Early Childhood IHE Kansas Task force, Board Member for the Kansas Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program, and board member for the Child Development Center. She was also a member of the Governor’s task force on Early Childhood: Care, Education, & Health: Vision for the 21^st Century. She authored the proposal to create a new licensure program in Early Childhood Education Birth-K for The Teachers College, which was approved by KSDE.

Dr. Diane Miller retired as Professor of Adaptive Special Education in December. Prior to joining the faculty, she was an Education Program Specialist in the Office of Special Education for the US Department of Education.

At ESU, she taught nearly every graduate adaptive special education course the university offers. Her research interests include increasing interactions with students in online courses, managing student behavior, virtual mentoring, and advocacy. She has presented at regional and national conventions and published in these areas. She received The Teachers College Faculty Excellence Awards in both Instruction and Service.

A sample of Miller’s service contributions to the university, state, and nation include: President of the ESU Faculty, President, Vice-President and Current - Past President of Kansas Learning Disabilities Association, Current President of the Kansas University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, NCATE Program Reviewer, and textbook reviewer.

Dr. Sue Peterson retired in December as the Director of the Office of Professional Education Services (OPES), which oversees student teaching. Before coming to ESU, she served in a number of administrative roles at Mississippi State University.

At ESU, she served on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education Steering Committee and the Council on Teacher Education. She provided the leadership for preparing the college for its review by the KSDE and NCATE for the standard on clinical experiences.

Active in both the Kansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Peterson just finished two years as a member of the Constitution Committee, and the Association of Teacher Educators in Kansas.

During her years as OPES Director, Peterson represented The Teachers College to public school administrators and teachers, advocating for the optimal clinical experiences for ESU’s student teachers with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity.

Dr. Jon Sward is retiring as Assistant Professor of Mental Health Counseling. Sward came to ESU after having a distinguished career including administrative and supervisory work in community mental health care, counseling services at mental health centers and correctional facilities, a private practice in mental health counseling, and a private practice in law.

Sward taught a variety of courses in the master’s program in mental health counseling and served as Interim Director of what is now called Community Clinic Services. A member of several professional organizations, he served as President of the Kansas Association of Counselor Educators.

Sward made numerous presentations at state and national meetings with articles on topics as diverse as helping women with addictions and trauma, reducing dental fear, and privileged communication and confidentiality issues when counseling couples.

Dr. Phil Wurtz is retiring as Professor of Mental Health Counseling and Director of the Mental Health Counseling program. His reputation as a gifted teacher was validated by the many who have expressed their heartfelt appreciation of their professional development from taking his courses. In recognition of his teaching, Wurtz received The Teachers College Excellence in Instruction faculty award.

Wurtz served on numerous department, college, and university committees. He is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Counseling Association and the American Association for Adult Development and Aging. Wurtz is a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in Kansas. He also is Director of Counseling and Psychological Services based in Emporia and Topeka.

His research includes similarities and differences between the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board’s Code of Professional Misconduct and the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics and comparing CACREP and non-CACREP Counseling Education Programs’ admission and retention policies.

Summer hours announced at Emporia State

Mon, 7 May 2012 14:21:00 -0500

The Emporia State campus will move to summer hours on Monday, May 14, 2012. For 12 weeks ending Aug. 3, most campus buildings and departments will be open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. They will be closed Fridays.

The campus will still observe the holidays of Memorial Day (May 28) and Fourth of July. On those weeks, campus will be open three days rather than four.

In addition, certain departments will have different hours during the 12-week period:

The Admissions office in Plumb Hall will be open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on these Fridays —May 18 and June 1. Admissions will be open from 7 a.m. to noon on Fridays — June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, July 13, July 20, July 27 and Aug. 3. (Note: The Admissions office will move to the Memorial Union in July; that date will be announced later.)
The Memorial Union Bookstore will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Dining Services:
- UNTIL JUNE 4: Hornet Express will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
- AFTER JUNE 4:
- Buzzcotti will be open 6:30 to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
- Fetta Fresca will serve hot breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
- Hornet Express will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
- Skyline will be open 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, although the starting date is contingent on the Memorial Union renovation project.
- Hornet’s Nest residential dining hall will serve this schedule Monday through Thursday — breakfast from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m., lunch from noon to 1 p.m., dinner from 5 to 6 p.m. The Nest is open on Fridays on an as-needed basis and is closed on weekends.
- The Student Recreation Center will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The swimming pool in the HPER building will be closed for repairs from May 10through June 18. Beginning June 19, the pool will be open from noon until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Because the rec center is supported by student fees, all students may use the services for no charge during the semesters in which they are enrolled. If not enrolled in classes this summer, students can pay a monthly membership fee of $11.42. In addition, ESU faculty and staff may purchase memberships for $11.42 per month.

ESU alumni also qualify for membership at the rec center for $17.79 per month. For information, contact the rec center at (620) 341-5952.

Emporia State business school dean announces resignation

Mon, 7 May 2012 13:41:00 -0500

Dr. Joseph Wen announced this morning that he will step down as dean of the Emporia State University School of Business on June 30, 2012. Dr. John Rich will serve as interim dean beginning July 1.

Wen is leaving to take a position as Dean of College of Business Administration and Public Policy at California State University in Dominquez Hills, Calif, which will allow him to move closer to family. The move, Wen said, is bittersweet.

“I have experienced immense personal satisfaction, both from my job assignments and from the close friendships I have established with my colleagues,” Wen said, “which have helped make my years with ESU successful and productive. My colleagues have been among the finest people I have ever known.”

In accepting Wen’s resignation, Provost Tes Mehring spoke of Wen’s accomplishments since coming to Emporia State in 2008.

“The recent success of the School of Business with AACSB accreditation is testimony to the leadership that Dr. Wen has provided during his time at ESU,” Mehring said. “He has facilitated many new initiatives in the School of Business throughout his deanship. We wish him continued success as he moves to California.”

As interim dean, Rich brings 40 years of experience at Emporia State. An associate professor of accounting and information systems, Rich has served as chair of the Division of Accounting and Computer Information Systems, Acting Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Dean of the School of Business during his tenure. He also served as coordinator for the AACSB International accreditation project and self-evaluation, which resulted in the school’s accreditation in 2002.

Rich joined the Emporia State faculty in 1971 as an assistant professor and has seen the university’s business curriculum evolve from a single department into the School of Business, which was created in 1983 and offers undergraduate degrees in six areas as well as master’s degrees in business administration with three concentrations and business education.

The university will launch a national search for a new dean early in the Fall 2012 semester, Mehring said.

Lana Oleen is speaker for spring commencement

Fri, 4 May 2012 10:57:00 -0500

Emporia State University’s 145th commencement is Saturday, May 12. It has been moved indoors because of the potential for inclement weather.

Approximately 600 students are candidates for undergraduate degrees which they will receive either this month or at the conclusion of summer classes in August. They will receive their diplomas at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at White Auditorium, 111 E. Sixth Ave., Emporia.

Graduate degrees will be awarded to nearly 300 students at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Albert Taylor Hall inside Plumb Hall on the Emporia State campus.

Commencement speakers will include Robba Moran of Hays, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, and Jason Fanning of Olathe, president of the Emporia State University Alumni Association board. The commencement address will be delivered by Lana (Scrimsher) Oleen of Manhattan, chair of the Emporia State University Foundation Board of Trustees.

Oleen served in the Kansas Senate from 1989 to 2005 and was the Kansas Senate Majority Leader. She has served on the ESU Foundation board since 2006. She founded Lana Oleen Consulting, LLC, and provides consulting services for higher education organizations and nonprofit foundations.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1972 and a master’s degree in 1977, both from Emporia State. She was named a Kansas Master Teacher in 1985 and was also a William Black Endowed Chair recipient. In 2006, she received the ESU Service Citation Award. She is also an ESU Alumni Association lifetime member and former alumni board member.

For those unable to make the trip to Emporia, ESU will offer live, streaming video of the undergraduate commencement exercises in White Auditorium. Links to the video coverage will be posted on the university’s online commencement page, www.emporia.edu/commencement/.

Seating is limited and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Additional information, including Emporia lodging accommodations and maps, is available online.

Emporia State partners with Google to provide students enhanced email services

Wed, 2 May 2012 10:22:00 -0500

Students at Emporia State University will gain email capacity and functionality once their email accounts are moved to Google’s Gmail platform in early Fall of this year.

Students will immediately see benefits after the move from Novell GroupWise:

Vastly larger mailbox sizes, with no message expiration date. Gmail mailboxes will be 25GB, which provides 250 times more space for emails and attachments. GroupWise accounts could only retain 100MB worth of messages and for no longer than 180 days.
Access to Google Docs & Calendar for easy collaboration with peers and faculty.
More effective integration with mobile devices. Many apps are available to link mobile device to Google’s Gmail at no cost.
Students can keep their new Gmail account for as long as they like after graduation. GroupWise accounts are limited to two years after the last enrolled semester.

The move is part of a long-range plan to move all Emporia State email accounts off Novell GroupWise. The first phase of this plan came during the second half of 2011 when faculty and staff accounts were moved to the Outlook email platform through Microsoft Exchange.

Technology & Computing Services will continue to send announcements as the project progresses to help guide students and employees throughout this transition. Information will also be made available on the TCS Helpdesk website, http://helpdesk.emporia.edu.

Dr. Tom Eddy honored for 50 years of service at Emporia State

Tue, 1 May 2012 07:52:00 -0500

As family and colleagues gathered Monday night to celebrate Dr. Tom Eddy’s 50^th year of teaching at Emporia State University, Eddy looked to the future.

“Maybe 50 years isn’t enough,” he said. “Maybe in the next decade.”

Eddy has taught in the biology department since 1962. At the end of the spring 2012 semester, he will complete his 50^th year in an Emporia State classroom.

Dr. R. Brent Thomas, chair of physical sciences, called Eddy incredible and inspiring as he presented the professor with a plaque commemorating the half century of instruction.

While teaching, Eddy also is director of the Emporia State Herbarium, which receives numerous requests for information and identification of plants and animals from teachers, agencies and the general public, according to Jean Schulenberg, herbarium curator.

“Former students remember his classes, his field trips and his never-ending enthusiasm for the native tallgrass prairie,” Schulenberg wrote in a biography distributed at the reception at the residence of ESU President Michael and Karen Shonrock.

“Emporia State has been a lot of fun for me and my family for a couple of generations,” Eddy said, noting that his wife, her mother and two of her aunts graduated from Emporia State. One of those aunts also was a professor.

Eddy’s mother earned two degrees from Emporia State. His wife, Ginnie, earned a degree and his two daughters are also alumnae. Laura Eddy is director of admissions; Blythe Eddy Dody is associate director of the Memorial Union. Son-in-law Aron Dody is also an alumnus.

“We’re deep into the nest of the Hornet swarm,” Eddy said.

ESU Scholarship Run/Walk raises dollars for students

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:48:00 -0500

Nearly 150 runners and walkers were registered to hit the streets and sidewalks around the Emporia State University campus Thursday, April 26, helping raise money for student scholarships.

Ideal weather conditions graced the ESU Scholarship Run/Walk in memory of John Blaufuss, both a celebration of a respected ESU colleague's life and a chance to help meet the dreams of students whose education is dependent on scholarships.

Top finisher in the men’s 5-kilometer race was William Hohmeier of Emporia. Hohmeier finished in a time of 16:52. Angie Indra, Emporia, was the top women’s finisher at 22:27.

The event raised approximately $8,000 for scholarships, said Angela Fullen, ESU Foundation manager of annual giving.

“I’m very pleased with both the number of community and student participants we had, and by the response from local businesses who contributed products and services to make this a family-friendly event,” Fullen said.

Emporia State alumnus named American Statistical Association fellow

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:20:00 -0500

A mathematics and statistics professor who began his career with a degree from Emporia State University has been named a 2012 fellow of the American Statistical Association.

Clyde Martin is a Horn Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Martin earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Emporia State University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from University of Wyoming.

Martin is one of 48 new ASA Fellows who will be formally inducted during the Joint Statistical Meetings in San Diego in late July.

The designation of fellow has been a superlative honor in ASA for nearly 100 years. According to the association by-laws, each year the Committee on Fellows can elect no more than one-third of one percent of the total ASA membership as fellows. Individuals are nominated for the honor by fellow members and, to be selected, must have an established reputation and made outstanding contributions in some aspect of statistical work.

The Committee on Fellows evaluates candidates' contributions to the advancement of statistics, giving due weight to publications, the positions held by the candidates in the organizations in which they are employed, activities within the association, membership and accomplishments in other societies, and other professional activities.

At Texas Tech, Martin’s research interests include control theory, the applications of algebraic and differential geometry to problems in numerical analysis, and the development and analysis of mathematical models in agriculture, the environment and medicine.

He led the group at Texas Tech University that did the detailed analysis and modeling of the 1987 measles epidemic in Lubbock. This research revealed for the first time that greater than 98-percent immunity rate was required to prevent measles epidemics in dense populations such as universities. The State of Texas used the research in the decision to require multiple vaccinations for all school-aged children.

His more significant technical contributions include the development of models for the analysis of localized epidemics and endemic diseases. He has collaborated with engineers and scientists in a number of areas including aeronautics, bioengineering, chemistry, pediatrics, plant science, soil physics, epidemiology and chemical engineering on a variety of scientific topics. He has published more than 350 technical books and papers in a wide variety of areas.

Martin is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, a member of the International Statistics Institute and a recent recipient of a Jefferson Science fellowship to work next year at the U.S. Department of State.

About the American Statistical Association

The American Statistical Association, a scientific and educational society founded in Boston in 1839, is the second oldest continuously operating professional society in the United States. For more than 170 years, ASA has been providing its 18,000 members serving in academia, government, and industry and the public with up-to-date, useful information about statistics. The ASA has a proud tradition of service to statisticians, quantitative scientists, and users of statistics across a wealth of academic areas and applications.

About Emporia State University

Founded in 1863 as Kansas State Normal — the state’s premier institution to educate teachers — Emporia State University offers 42 undergraduate and 27 graduate degrees in the School of Business, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Library and Information Management and The Teachers College. SLIM also offers a Ph.D. program.

ESU is ranked as a Tier 1 Top 100 Regional University in the 2012 edition of “Best Colleges” compiled by U.S. News & World Report. The publication also cited ESU’s School of Business as a best value for both in-state and out-of-state students.

ESU Debate ends epic season with flurry of prestigious awards

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:39:00 -0500

Emporia State University Debate ended what could arguably be the best season in its near 100-year history.

“I could not be happier with how our season went,” said Sam Maurer, Director of Debate at ESU. “To have debated at this program and been a part of its storied history for so long, to watch it blossom the way it did this season is just very special to me.”

Here is a list of awards the ESU Debate Program was honored with at the Cross-Examination Debate Association National Championship at Oklahoma University and the National Debate Tournament hosted by Emory University:

9^th First-Round At-Large Bid to the National Debate Tournament — Every year, the top 16, 2-person teams from every university in the country are awarded a “bye” through the district qualification process. LaToya Williams-Green and Ryan Wash earned the honor this season for the second time in ESU’s history, the first being in 1976 (when ESU was ranked the 16^th bid). ESU knew that they had earned the bid since February but learned at the National Debate Tournament that among the top 16, they were ranked 9^th by the rankings committee. This ranking placed them ahead of every team from Harvard, Wake Forest, Emory, Dartmouth, and Michigan State — all historically successful NDT teams.
3^rd at CEDA National Championship — Emporia WW won 7 of 8 preliminary debates to win the 2^nd seed in elimination rounds. After 3 consecutive wins in single-elimination debates to make it to the semi-finals, they lost on a 2-1 decision (1 judge voting for ESU, 2 against). The 3^rd-place finish is the best of any team from ESU since the early 1990’s when then director Glen “Coach” Strickland took the team to new heights and won the CEDA Sweepstakes Championship in 1993.
Brian Johnston Debater of the Year Award — The college debate equivalent of the Heisman, the “Baby Jo” award was earned by ESU’s LaToya Williams-Green for the 2012 season. The award is given to honor a debater with elite levels of competitive success who also is a terrific citizen of the community. LaToya Williams-Green becomes the first ever ESU Debater to win the award. She also is the first African-American female to ever win the honor. LaToya will attend graduate school next year at Wake Forest University in Communication Studies.

CEDA Founder’s Award — For the first time ever, ESU was awarded the CEDA Founder’s Award, the annual award given to the program with the most points in the organization’s history. A point-scale exists to measure overall competitive success of a program. Among all universities, ESU had the most points at the end of this season with nearly 2,000. “What makes this award so special to me,” said Maurer “is that we literally share it with the great ESU debaters and coaches from every generation. Debaters from the 60’s earned points that won us this award. My first coach, Glen Strickland, help earned hundreds of those points. It is the sort of thing that makes your feel like a very small but proud part of a larger tradition.”
All-American Debater — Junior Ryan Wash was honored as a member of the CEDA All-American Debate Team. The team, comprised of a small handful of the hundreds of debaters from all over the country, is a tremendous honor for Wash. “Ryan is a spectacular competitor,” said Maurer. “Without him, we really would not be where we are today.” Wash has been honored with top-10 speaker awards consistently throughout the year while competing against only the toughest competition in the country.
Speaker Awards — At each of the two national championship tournaments, both Williams-Green and Wash were honored with high speaker awards. At the CEDA National Championship, LaToya Williams-Green was rated the 6^th overall speaker, out of 320 debaters, and Ryan Wash was rated the 4^th overall speaker. At the invitation-only NDT, LaToya Williams-Green was rated the 13^th speaker and Ryan Wash the 12^th. Both speaker awards at the NDT are new records for the history of ESU Debate, both breaking the previous record holder — LaToya Williams-Green who was 17^th speaker at last year’s NDT.
9th-place Finish at National Debate Tournament — Another historical school-best, Emporia WW lost in the sweet-sixteen to the 9^th seed Northwestern LV on a 4-3 decision (4 judges voting for Northwestern, 3 for ESU). After a rough 2-2 start to the tournament, Emporia WW snapped-back with 5 consecutive wins against Michigan, North Texas, Trinity, and Emory (twice in a row). The performance ended a season where Emporia WW was indisputably one of the top-10 teams in the country. In terms of National Debate Tournament success, this was by far the best year in the history of ESU.

“After a season like this, there is a temptation to put one’s feet up and admire one’s work,” said Maurer. “But I speak for myself and the entire ESU Debate family in saying that we instead plan to try to capitalize this success into future growth of the program. We have a seat at the table of the nationally elite programs now and we won’t be standing-up any time soon.”

Next season’s work has already begun as ESU debaters and coach begin research on possible topics for the 2012-2013 season.

Student, faculty research celebrated Thursday

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:19:00 -0500

An Emporia State professor who earned the 2012 President’s Award for Research and Creativity will be the keynote speaker at Research and Creativity Day on Thursday, April 26, 2012.

Dr. Kevin Rabas, associate professor in the Department of English, Modern Languages and Journalism, will speak during the award and recognition ceremony beginning at 3:15 p.m. in Webb Hall II in the Memorial Union. The awards and recognition cap a day of oral presentations and poster session.

Research and Creativity Day is sponsored by the Office of the Provost, University Honors Program, Research and Grants Center and the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Committee.

The day begins in Visser Hall with graduate presentations from 8:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Room 243. Undergraduate oral presentations will be from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. in Room 330. The poster session will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Webb Hall I in the Memorial Union followed by the awards and recognition ceremony at 3:15.

The awards ceremony includes the announcement of the Audrey S. Major Research Fund Awards by University Libraries and Archives, the Harold Durst Graduate Research Award, the Graduate Teaching Assistant University Awards for Excellent Teaching and the ESU Summer Undergraduate Research Program awards. Faculty who received research and creativity grants during the spring also will be recognized.

There also will be drawings for cash and professional development prizes.

Tuskegee Airman shares his experience as a Red Tail

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:06:00 -0500

A Tuskegee Airman will discuss his service during World War II on Friday, April 27, 2012, at Emporia State University.

During World War II, the U.S. Army was segregated. African-Americans who volunteered for Army Air Force units were trained at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. They have since been referred to as “Tuskegee Airmen.”

Retired Maj. George M. Boyd was a member of the 332^nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. The men of the 332^nd unit were nicknamed “Red Tails.” Their exploits were recently portrayed in a movie by the same name. After World War II, Boys continued to serve in the U.S. Air Force, retiring after 28 years. He later served as colonel and commander of the Kansas Civil Air Patrol.

Boyd will speak in Room 330 of Visser Hall at 3 p.m. Friday, April 27, 2012. The free program is sponsored by the Black Student Union, Department of Social Sciences, Psi Chi, Diversity Education Committee and the Veterans Roundtable 1940-2012.

Parking is available in the main parking lot between Visser Hall and Welch Stadium. An elevator is available in the south end of Visser Hall.

Jalapeno contest kicks off annual car show

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:04:00 -0500

A jalapeno-eating contest at Emporia State University will be an early kick-off to the 15^th annual Super Custom Car Show in downtown.

The Caliente (hot) Jalapeno Contest begins at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, with piñatas on Main Street of the Memorial Union. From noon to 1:30 p.m. contestants will be eating jalapenos. They will be divided into two categories — students and faculty-staff-administration. Within those categories, women will compete against women, men against men. Free soda pop and popcorn will be available for everyone.

Winners of the contest will take home $50 cash.

The event is sponsored by Emporia Brown Express Athletic Club, ESU Karate Club, ESU Newman Kansas Association of Nursing Students, Emporia State Federal Credit Union, Sodexo, Memorial Union Corp., Navrat’s Office Products and Community Hornets.

The car show will follow from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Commercial Street. It is sponsored by Brown Express Athletic Club, ESU Karate Club, ESU Newman Kansas Association of Nursing Students, Mussatto Brothers, Complete Works Custom Engraving, T-Mobile, Genesis Health Clubs and Navrat’s Office Products. Proceeds from the car show benefit ESU scholarships.

Registration for entrants will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The entry fee is $20 in each of four categories — cars, trucks, sound-off stereo and SPL.

First- and second-place trophies will be awarded in each individual category — antique, classic, domestic 1980-95, domestic 1996-2011, Corvette, street rod, hot rod, low rider, muscle car, imports, trucks, SUV, under construction and miscellaneous.

First-place trophies will be awarded for paint, graphics, interior and club participation. First- and second-place trophies will be given in the Sound Off Stereo competition in three competition classes — 10-inch subwoofers, 12-inch subwoofers and 15-inch subwoofers.

The vehicle awarded Best of Show will receive the Dan Tebbetts Memorial Trophy.

Admission to the show is free, and family entertainment will be on hand including DJs, piñatas, demonstrations and face and body painting.

In case of rain, the event will be May 5. For more information on either the jalapeno-eating contest or the car show, contact director Gilbert Rodriguez by email at rlcg65@yahoo.com or rgitchel@emporia.edu or by phone at (620) 340-0353.