Emporia State University - Recent News

Students, Faculty, Staff Unite to Fight Food Insecurity

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 14:15:00 -0500

A signing ceremony last week on the Emporia State University campus brought together students, faculty and staff committed to fighting food insecurity both on campus and off. Emporia at the Table: Ending Hunger in our Community, called the EAT Initiative, is collaborating with programs that already exist and working across campus to share the message in classrooms and to the public.

On Oct. 15, ESU President Allison Garrett signed the Presidents’ Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security, a key component of Presidents United to Solve Hunger, or PUSH, which came out of the Universities Fighting World Hunger initiative.

ESU has been part of Universities Fighting World Hunger the better part of a decade,” said Dr. Rob Catlett, associate profess of mathematics and economics and director of ESU’s Center for Economic Education. “When we saw the PUSH campaign we thought we’re already on target with many of these things so we wanted to go ahead and go with it.”

The trio of Dr. Rebecca Rodriguez Carey, assistant professor of sociology, anthropology and crime and delinquency studies; Blythe Eddy, director of student activities and community service; and Dr. Jasmine Linabary, assistant professor of communication and theatre, used a high-impact learning grant to launch the EAT Initiative in fall 2019.

“We have a number of campus and community partners,” said Linabary. “These include Associated Student Government, Community Hornet's and Corky's Cupboard, Diversity Student Programs, Student Wellness Center and University Libraries & Archives on campus. Community partners include Healthier Lyon County, Lyon County Food and Farm Council, and the Salvation Army food pantry.”

The initiative focuses on education, research and action. Already this semester, Max Kaniger, founder of Kanbe’s Markets, a nonprofit aimed to eliminate food deserts, presented a lunchtime talk, and the Diversity Book Club is reading “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America.”

On Oct. 16, a World Food Day event in the Memorial Union brought together information and opportunities to get involved.

“We had a number of events dedicated to action and education about food insecurity in our community,” said Linabary. “We had exhibits from folks on campus like Corky’s Cupbard, ASG and Can the Bods, Student Wellness and opportunities to share your story and to watch a documentary about food insecurity in America and films from a short film festival.”

Carey is one faculty member who has incorporate the topic into the classroom.

“I teach Introduction to Sociology, and my students are putting together an exhibit about food insecurity,” she said. “They are taking photos about what food insecurity looks like here in Emporia. Then we are putting this together in an exhibit that the Emporia community and ESU can come and take a look at.”

The class will also consider food insecurity and how it impacts based on gender and race when those topics arise in the course.

Emporia State students are finding ways to get involved outside of the classroom.

Jonathan Norris, an economics major from Overland Park, chooses to partner with Food for Students, a local effort to support elementary school students outside their school lunch programs.

“We’ll meet and put together little packages of food that students will have so they will not be forced to go without food over the weekends,” he explained. “Because there’s a lot of poverty, a lot of people in really dire socioeconomic status, and every little bit we can do changes lives.”

Cora Kimble of Rose Hill sees the real need for Corky’s Cupboard, the student-run food pantry that celebrates its fifth anniversary in early November.

“We’re having about 20 plus new students each month come in,” Kimble said, “so that’s super awesome that this is continuing to be a support for students who are in need of food. They’re able to come in once a week and get about 13 items just to help them through that. It’s great that we’re here to help them.”

For Garrett, these programs and the overall initiative are a perfect fit for Emporia State.

“Our mission is all about changing lives for the common good, and the projects that are done here involve changing the lives of students, the lives of members of our community, the research involves changing lives maybe down the road even,” she said. “We have a significant impact in everything the faculty, staff and students here at Emporia State do not only to help one another but also to help the community of Emporia.”

Conference Brings Award-winning Children’s Author, National Literacy Experts to ESU

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:30:00 -0500

The author of the 2019 Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award, Dan Santat, will speak at an upcoming literacy conference at Emporia State University. The 22nd Annual Kansas Regional Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Conference to be held Nov. 4 at Emporia State.

The event will feature literacy experts from across the nation and the state and will be attended by educators, counselors, and reading specialists who help children having difficulty with literacy skills.

“As chair of the Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award, it is a pleasure to host the winner in Emporia each year,” said Dr. Roger Caswell. “It is a great opportunity for conference participants, and I am looking forward to Dan Santat’s presentation as the 2019 winner.”

Santat is a No. 1 New York Times Best Selling Author and illustrator of over 100 titles, including the 2015 Caldecott Medal winning “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.” He is also the creator of the animated hit, The Replacements, a TV series which aired on the Disney Channel.Santat is receiving the BMJ Picture Book Award for “After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again).” He will be recognized and give a talk at the conference’s luncheon.

“While most children learn to read and write regardless of instruction method, the remaining 20 percent require additional, intensive support, best accomplished through one-to-one instruction such as what Reading Recovery provides,” said Dr. Annie Opat, Trainer and Director of the Kansas Regional
Reading Recovery University Training Center at Emporia State University.

Featured speakers at the conference include:

Dr. Adria Klein, Program Director and Reading Recovery Trainer at Saint Mary’s College of California. Klein is renowned for her work with school districts across the United States and has taught reading on five continents. She has written or co-written many professional books and articles about guided reading and other literacy topics.

Dr. Debra Rich, Reading Recovery Trainer, Saint Mary’s College of California

Dr. Michael Taylor, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, South Lyon Community Schools (Michigan)

Dr. Garreth Zalud, from the University of South Dakota, and Amanda Zalud, Doctoral Student/Creighton University Medical School

Speakers from Emporia State University include Dr. Heather Caswell, associate professor of elementary education; Dr. Roger Caswell, executive director of the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence; Dr. Annie Opat, director of ESU’s regional Reading Recovery® university training center; and Dr. Kelly O’Neal-Hixson, associate professor of special education.

For more information about registration for the conference, directions to the conference, or about the Reading Recovery program at ESU, visit www.emporia.edu/teach/readingrecovery/ or contact the Jones Institute at 620-341-5372, or e-mail Kristan Dean at kdean@emporia.edu.

Final Presentations Planned for the Fall 2019 Community Impact Challenge

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:00:00 -0500

Threeteams face offinthe finals of the second annual Community Impact Challenge (CIC), a grant competition to encourage students of Emporia State University to make an impact on pressing issues facing the Emporia community. The finals will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 23, in the Blue Key Room in ESU’s Memorial Union.

The teams of ESU students, each with 3-4 members, were selected as finalists among the applicants to present their ideas before a panel of judges. Teams will give 10-12 minute presentations about their chosen solutions to a problem they have identified in the Emporia community, followed by 5-10 minute question-and-answer sessions. A panel of faculty, staff, alumni, ESU students and community partners will choose a winner. The winning team will receive a $500 grant to complete its proposed solution, which must be carried out by May 2020.

The CIC aims to inspire students of ESU to participate in community engagement. The finalists have proposed to work with local organizations to develop meaningful and creative solutions to real-life community issues such as those related to poverty and health and well-being.

Community Hornets and ESU’s Department of Communication and Theatre are encouraging members of the community to attend the final presentations. This event will allow community members the opportunity to meet the finalists and see what solutions they have to offer.

Last year the student winners of the inaugural CIC, Rachel Castro, Delaney Dold and Genevieve Lowery, launched Bag-A-Birthday, an initiative focused on providing low-income families in Emporia with supplies to celebrate a child’s birthday. Through the students’ donation drive supported by the CIC grant, more than 150 bags were created and made available for Emporia children.

Paraguayan Official Visits Campus

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:00:00 -0500

Pictured from left are ESU President Allison Garrett, Federico Mora, Provost David Cordle and Mark Daly, dean of international education.

The head of a Paraguayan study abroad organization visited Emporia State University on Oct. 21. Federico Mora is general coordinator of the National Scholarship Program for Study Abroad or BECAL. The program sends undergraduate and graduate students as well as professionals to top universities and research centers around the world with the promise they will return and use their new knowledge to benefit Paraguay.

The Paraguayan government through BECAL finances a special program for senior undergraduate students from Paraguay to study in Kansas for one semester. The Committee Paraguay Kansas and universities in Kansas, including Emporia State, support the program with the goal of recruiting these students for master’s programs.

Currently, three visiting students — Christian Ohweiler of Hohenau, Micaela Sandoval of Encarnación and José Ibáñez of Luque — are studying biology at Emporia State.

“Emporia State University and Paraguay have a decades long history of cooperation through the Partners of America,” said Mark Daly, ESU dean of international education.

The Teachers College at Emporia State has a student exchange program where U.S. students can student-teach in Paraguay and teachers in Paraguay come to Emporia and teach in Emporia Public Schools. ESU’s Department of Music also has exchange programs.

Mora is a 2019 Latin American and Caribbean Fellow of the Eisenhower Fellowships. During his fellowship, Mora will look for funding strategies and build international partnerships for BECAL.

ESU Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Recent Graduates Honored During Homecoming

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Five Distinguished Alumni and three Outstanding Recent Graduates will be honored at Emporia State during the Black & Gold Gala on Oct. 18, which kicks off the 2019 Homecoming weekend.

The five members of the 2019 Emporia State University Distinguished Alumni are an impressive class that Hornet Nation is proud to call its own.

Dr. DeWayne Backhus (BS 1966-Mathematics) of Emporia, Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor and long-time director of the Peterson Planetarium;
Mrs. Phyllis A. (Larsen) Ericson (BA 1972-Chemistry & Biology; MS 1977-Analytical Chemistry; BS 1979-Medical Technology) of Lincoln, Nebraska, retired CEO of the Nebraska Community Blood Bank;
Retired Brig. Gen. Christie L. Nixon (BS 1982-Recreation) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, former Commanding General of the Military Intelligence Readiness Command;
Mr. Mark Scoles (BSB 1977-Accounting) of Naperville, Illinois, retired partner-in-charge of accounting principles at the international accounting firm of Grant Thornton LLP; and
Mr. Robbie Young (BFA 1985-Theatre) of New York City, New York, stage manager and executive assistant at Spencer Stuart.

Alumni Relations Director Jose Feliciano described some of the criteria the selection committee had considered in choosing five alumni for recognition for extraordinary contributions in their fields.

“Are they those trailblazers? Are they the ones that are the beacons out there who give Emporia State University a great name?” Feliciano said. “It’s those people who have taken the skills they learned at the university to really truly make a difference, whether it’s nationwide or locally.”

All five will be honored during the Black & Gold Gala on Oct. 18, a highlight of the annual Homecoming festivities. Joining in the honors are the three Outstanding Recent Graduates representing their ESU school or college no more than 10 years past graduation. They are:

Cassondra Boston Richards (BSB 2009-Accounting, MBA 2011-Accounting) of Addison, Texas, senior assurance manager at PricewaterhouseCooper auditing, assurance, tax, and consulting firm;
Kelsey A. Ryan (BS 2011-Political Science) of Kansas City, Missouri, outreach manager for the National Freedom of Information Coalition; and
Joshua Stock (BS 2008-English, Creative Writing, MS 2011-Instructional Design and Technology) of Olathe, language arts teacher at Santa Fe Trail Middle School in Olathe.

Biographies for the Distinguished Alumni are online at https://www.emporia.edu/alumni/awards/distinguished-alumni.html. Outstanding Recent Graduates may be found at https://www.emporia.edu/alumni/awards/outstanding-recent-graduates.html

About the Awards

The Distinguished Alumniaward is the highest honor that can be granted to an alumnus or alumna of Emporia State University by the ESU Alumni Association. Awarded each fall during Homecoming, it recognizes the outstanding professional accomplishments of ESU's finest graduates. Since the inception of the award program in 1960, more than 200 alumni have received the award.

The Outstanding Recent Graduate award recognizes an outstanding recent graduate from each of the undergraduate colleges and schools at Emporia State University. Selection for this award is based on criteria determined by each school/college and the stipulation that the recipient be no more than 10 years past graduation at Emporia State University.

Campus Buzz From President Allison D. Garrett

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Accreditation Improvement

The Teachers College at Emporia State University received national recognition Sept. 26 from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation for surpassing the standards in becoming re-accredited during their most recent accreditation cycle. Receiving the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement, Emporia State was one of only 13 institutions to receive the award out of the 238 nationally which have CAEP accreditation. Other schools recognized included Duke and Boston College.

500,000th Visitor

A visit to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County, which was organized by ESU’s Office of International Education, resulted in a surprise for Klara Stingsted from Vejle, Denmark. Klara, who was among the group of Danish high school students staying with Emporia host families, was the 500,000th visitor to the park. She received a copy of the park’s DVD and a book of photographs highlighting America’s national parks. Visitors enjoyed cake as part of the celebration.

$2M in Grants

Counselor Education recently learned it received two grants from proposals submitted this summer with the help of Bryan Jones in ESU’s Research and Grants office. One of the grants is only awarded to one organization nationally. This funding will allow the recruiting and funding of 30 new master’s students in service provision to Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Autism Spectrum Disorders consumers, and 35 counseling professionals seeking specialty training in services provision to consumers with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

NCAA Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Brian Hainline, chief medical officer for the NCAA, spent October 7 on campus, meeting with students and playing tennis with Coach Les Stafford. That evening, Dr. Hainline presented “Can Sport Save Society?”to an audience of ESU faculty, staff and students plus community members.

Center Dedication

About 100 people attended the dedication and consecration of the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center, an organization that has the singular purpose of helping children learn to read and working with the communities the children live in to encourage this basic life skill. It was created with a $4 million gift in 2016 from the Masons of Kansas. The Kansas Masonic Literacy Center has been active over recent years in its goals of helping families, schools, teachers, professionals in literacy development, and — most important — children.

Arts & Sciences

Roberta Eichenberg, Chair of the ESU Art Department, and Megan Stelljes, an ESU alumni art major with a concentration in glass, teamed up at a glass blowing event at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s October Festat their brewery in Chico, California. They created a glass sculpture of a seahorse.

The Emporia State University Jazz concert benefiting the annual United Way fundraising campaign was September 26 at Albert Taylor Hall, and raised a total of $1,026.

The ESU music department hosted the High School Marching Band Festivalon October 2 with 22 schools performing and over 2,000 students. Four of the high school band directors were ESU Music Department Alumni.

The ESU Music Department Hosted the Middle School Big Sing on October 4 with over 150 middle school students attending. This event engaged area middle school directors with the ESU A Cappella Choir and Dr. Ward in a one-day event aimed at exposing middle school students to ESU.

Congratulations to Bryn Boice (BFA Theatre 1999), who is the new director of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’sapprentice program, CSC2 program and Stage 2 performances for young audiences. Bryn is an award-winning director, educator, actor and producer as well as artistic director of Anthem Theatre Company of Boston and teaches at Salem State University.

Business

It was a full house for the How It's Made Touron September 24. The students enjoyed this high impact learning experience, and they learned from Kim Redeker and Adam Eimer how The Sweet Granada and Uncommon Threads got started, what their career/educational history is up until this point and what it means to be an entrepreneur. The students asked good questions throughout the tour.

The School of Business was chosen by Danish high school students from Vejle, Denmark, for their class shadowingdestination. They attended classes with business students, visited downtown businesses and area parks and talked about cultural differences and similarities.

The Teachers College

Dr. Jim Persinger, Psychology and Instructional Design & Technology, was named to GLSEN National’s Research Ethics Review Committee. Persinger is a longtime GLSEN Greater Kansas City Chapter leader and recently partnered with GLSEN to conduct a national study on LGBTQ+ youth inclusivity training outcomes.

In September, Dr. Jim Persinger worked with GLSEN in New York City on the national launch of an inclusivity outcomes tool. This was the culmination of four years of research on teacher trainings to better address the needs of LGBTQ+ youth, who face many disparities in climate and educational outcomes. An earlier phase of the research involved School Psychology Program candidates Emily Schoenfeld and Brettany Williams.

Dr. Cate Crosby was awarded a MIDTESOL 2019 travel grant at the annual Mid-America Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages conference September 27-28 and was elected secretary of the MIDTESOL Higher Education/Teacher Education Interest Section.

Information Technology

Information Technology launched a cybersecurity campaignto highlight the technology resources available to students, as well as to keep students safe online. This also included an online scavenger hunt, inspired by the Netflix show “Stranger Things.”

Library & Information Management

Kimberly Martin (Oregon MLS 2017) recently accepted the position of catalog librarianat Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington.

Brandon Wilkinson (Oregon MLS 2012) joined Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, as a visiting assistant professor and reference librarian in March 2018.

Athletics

Emporia State's Mackenzie Dimarco earned her first MIAA Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Awardpresented by Mammoth Turf.

Off to the best start after 10 games in school history, the Emporia State women's soccer team has debuted at No. 14 in this week's United Soccer Coaches National Rankings.

Emporia State's Tanna Benefielwas named the MIAA Defender of the Weekon October 1 after the Hornets soccer team began their season 2-0.

The Division II Athletics Directors Association (DII ADA) announced 62 Emporia State student-athletes have earned DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards. The student-athletes were honored October 1 during Hornet volleyball matches.

Presentations

Dr. Carrie Boettcher (Assistant Professor, Counselor Education) presented “Cognitive Authority in Online Social Media during Severe Weather” during the Jean Tague-Sutcliffe Doctoral Student Research Poster Competition at Association of Library and Information Science Education in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sept. 25.

Dr. Joan Brewer, Dr. Zeni Colorado-Resa, Dr. Tiffany Hill, Dr. Amanda Lickteig, Dr. Sunnin Keosybounheuang, and Dr. Sara Schwerdtfeger, all from The Teachers College, presented “It’s Better to be Absolutely Ridiculous than Absolutely Boring: The Fun Side of Accreditation” at the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation Conferencein Washington, D.C., September 26.

Four ESU English, Modern Language, and Journalism faculty members presented at the 2019 Mid America Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Conferenceon September 28 in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Cate Crosby, Cara Codney, Jonathan Leach, and Dr. Kat O'Meara presented their panel "Cross-Campus Bridges: Reflections on a Multilingual Composition Pilot." The panel was nominated for the "Best of MidTESOL" award by the MidTESOL board.

Dr. Michael Widdersheim, Assistant Professor in SLIM, presented “Intelligent Systems and the Public Sphere in American Society: Information Selection and Quality Management in Public Libraries” at the Tsukuba Conferencein Tsukuba, Japan.

Stephen Catt and co-author Barbara Tarter at Marshall University presented their paper “Still Not Dead: An updated analysis of the Russian Facebook Advertisements prior to the 2016 US election” at the International Conference on Social Media & Societyat Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada in July.

Dr. Mirah Dow, Professor and Ph.D. Program Director, and Brady Lund, Ph.D. student, presented on September 23 during the ALISE Academy at the 2019 Association of Library and Information Science Education conferencein Knoxville, Tennessee. The title of the Academy was Including Disability in LIS Education and Workplace: From Local Concerns to Global Vision.

Kristine Woods, Ph.D. candidate, presented at the 2019 Association of Library and Information Science Education conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, Ph.D. Student Poster Session, Cooperative catalogers’ lived experience implementing Resource Description and Access: Developing best practices for creating global metadata.

Dr. Greg Schneider (Professor, Social Sciences) presents “The Past and President of American Conservatism” on Sunday, October 13, as part of the Sundays at the Siteseries at the William Allen White State Historic Site in Emporia.

Publications

Marta Murvosh (Oregon MLS 2011) had her short story “Mothers and Daughters" published in Abyss & Apex. Murvosh is a teen librarian at Marysville (Washington) Library, Sno-Isle Libraries.

Dr. Brendan Fay, Assistant Professor in SLIM, published the book “Classical Music in Weimar Germany: Culture and Politics Before the Third Reich” (Bloomsbury).

Former ESU mathematics students, Keely Grossnickle, Jeana Johnson, and Zhihao Sun, are co-authors of a paper published in Mathematics Magazine. The article, Triphos: A World Without Subtraction, is a result of undergraduate research conducted with Professor Brian Hollenbeck.

Homecoming Festivities Unite ESU Alumni, Emporia Community

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 12:45:00 -0500

While ESU alumni return to the Hornets’ Nest for Homecoming, the campus welcomes the Emporia community to enjoy the special events. Homecoming 2019 begins Wednesday, Oct. 16, with the first event organized by students and concludes with a matinee of the musical on Sunday, Oct. 20.

Wednesday, Oct. 16

Tricycle races, Kellogg Circle, 7 p.m. Up to 20 teams of four people compete for the traveling “Golden Tricycle” trophy. Back-up location is the Student Recreation Center.

Thursday, Oct. 17

Late Night at White, White Auditorium, 6 to 8 p.m., free. Get your first look at the 2019-20 Lady Hornet and Hornet basketball teams! This year’s event includes fan interaction, on-court contests, and is capped off by each team scrimmaging to give you a glimpse of the exciting season ahead.
Sam E. and Jeannene Hayes Lecture featuring Michael Gonzalez, Memorial Union’s Webb Hall, 7:30 p.m., free
“Little Women” Homecoming Musical, Bruder Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 18

Phi Delta Theta Alumni Pole Sit, 12th Avenue and Commercial Street, 10 a.m. through 10 a.m. Saturday.
KSTC Luncheon, Memorial Union's KSTC Ballroom, noon to 1:30 p.m., $15, reservations required.
Baseball Alumni Golf Tournament, Municipal Golf Course, 1133 S. Highway 99, 1 p.m., $50, registration required.
Art Exhibit: The Children’s War: Images of World War II in Children’s Books, White Library Room 308B, 2 to 4 p.m.
Baseball Alumni batting practice, Trusler Sports Complex, 6 p.m., free.
Softball Reunion + Home Run Derby, Trusler Sports Complex, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $15 for food, beverages and T-shirt, reservations required.
Black & Gold Gala honoring Distinquished Alumni and Outstanding Recent Graduates, Memorial Union’s Webb Hall, reception 6 p.m., dinner 6:30 p.m. reservations required.
“Little Women” Homecoming Musical, Bruder Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Homecoming Bonfire, Wilson Park, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 19

Athletics Hall of Honor Breakfast, Memorial Union’s Webb Hall, 8 a.m.
Alumni + Faculty Breakfast, Memorial Union Main Street (first floor), 9 to 11 a.m., free.
Softball Alumni Game, Trusler Sports Complex, 10 a.m., $20 for food, beverages + T-shirt, reservations required.
Kossover Family Tennis Complex Groundbreaking Ceremony, Milton Tennis Courts, 10 a.m.
Volleyball Alumni Game, White Auditorium, 10 a.m., free.
Baseball Alumni Game, Trusler Sports Complex, 11 a.m., $50, reservations required.
Beta Alpha Psi All-School Business Tailgate, Welch Stadium Parking Lot, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., free will donation.
Homecoming Parade + Rally, Commercial Street, 11:30 a.m.
The Teachers College Party on the Patio, east side Visser Hall, Noon to 1:15 p.m.
Hornet Football against Central Missouri, Welch Stadium, 2 p.m.
Local Beer + Wine Tasting, Wooster Patio, north side of Memorial Union, 2:30 p.m.
“Little Women” Homecoming Musical, Bruder Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 20

“Little Women” Homecoming Musical matinee, Bruder Theatre, 2 p.m.

For more information about all Homecoming events, go to www.emporia.edu/homecoming.

ESU Theatre Presents ‘Little Women, The Musical’ for Homecoming Show

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:00:00 -0500

Emporia State University Theatre presents “Little Women, The Musical”from October 17 to 20, 2019, in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre. Set during the American Civil War, the March sisters — romantic Meg, tomboyish Jo, sweet Beth and irascible Amy — live in Concord, Massachusetts, with their beloved Marmee while Father serves as a Chaplain in the war.

Louisa May Alcott’s beloved characters are brought to vivid musical life by the writing team of Allan Knee (book), Mindi Dickstein (lyrics) and Jason Howland (music). Filled with adventure (both lived and imagined), heartbreak and a deep sense of hope, the struggle of these “Little Women” to find their own voices mirrors the growing pains of a young America. With lovely music, memorable characters and a big-hearted message, “Little Women” reminds us that “sometimes when you dream, your dreams come true.”

The cast includes Jasmine Hall, a sophomore from Independence (Jo March); Kara Mason, Shawnee (Meg March); Elizabeth Tate, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (Beth March); Haley Wells, Wichita (Amy March); Zulema Renteria, Emporia (Marmee); Allison Jones, Waterville (Aunt March); Cole Chapman, Wichita (Teddy Laurence); Ian Malcolm, Emporia (Mr. Brooke), Brogan Falls, LeRoy (Mr. Laurence); and Cameron Webb, Shawnee (Professor Bhaer).

The production team includes Jim Bartruff (Director), Lindy Bartruff (Choreographer), Ben Williams (Scenic Designer), Susie J. Williams (Costume Designer), Penny Speedie (Music Director), Melinda Groves (Pianist), Stephen Holbert (Vocal Director), Chris Lohkamp (Technical Director), Amanda Dura (Costume Shop Manager).

Students on the production team include Brian Percival, Olathe (Stage Manager); Greyson Waltmire, Topeka (Assistant Stage Manager); Dayne Sabatos, Burlington (Assistant to the Costume Designer); Jared Steele, Garden City (Sound Design); and Riley Jack Greenwood, Valley Center (Dramaturg).

Performance times are at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 through 19 and an afternoon matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20. All performances are presented in the Karl C. Bruder Theatre in King Hall (1301 Market St.). For tickets, call the box office at 620-341-6378 or online at tickets.emporia.edu. Tickets are priced at $15, $12 and$8 (ESU students)when purchased in advance. Ticket prices rise to $20/$15/$10 at the door.

Proceeds benefit ESU Theatre student scholarships.

Emporia State Receives More Than $2 Million In Grants for Rehabilitation Counseling

Wed, 9 Oct 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Two grants totaling more than $2 million received by Emporia State University look to help professionals whose goals are to increase the employment opportunities for people with deaf and hard of hearing issues, and autism spectrum disorders. Emporia State has one of just three programs in the United States that offers a concentration in working with deaf and hard of hearing people.

Through the grants, Emporia State’s counselor education department will support students with tuition, training and professional development. The grant begins immediately and will run through Sept. 30, 2024. Vocational rehabilitation personnel applying to the program will receive online instruction leading to a master’s degree or professional certification.

The grant aims to address shortages in professional services for people needing these rehabilitation services in the region. The grant awarded for the deaf and hard of hearing consumers totals $816,477, with $658,213 (81%) provided by federal funding through the U.S. Department of Education, and the remaining $158,264 (19%), provided by ESU. The autism spectrum disorders funding was for $1,250,256, with $1,059,006 (85%) coming from federal resources through the U.S. Department of Education, and $191,250 (15%) provided by ESU.

“While there are several universities providing master’s level training in rehabilitation counseling in the identified four-state area, none of these universities offer a concentration in working with deaf and hard of hearing people,” said Dr. Damara Goff Paris, associate professor and project director of rehabilitation services’ grants.

Nov. 15 is the deadline to apply for the spring 2020 cohort through www.emporia.edu/counseloreducation. Students throughout the Midwest are highly encouraged to apply. The track in working with ASD consumers will begin fall 2020.

“Our program has an excellent reputation for training rehabilitation counselors for over 50 years, and our reputation as a rigorous online program has been growing over the past few years,” said Paris. “As one of the few graduate rehabilitation counseling training programs in the Midwest and the only one in Kansas and Nebraska, we are well-positioned to increase the quality of future rehabilitation counselors for the Midwest.

“In addition, our rehabilitation counseling autism spectrum disorders program has collaboration from both Emporia State’s special education program — where an autism spectrum disorders certificate is available — and department of counselor education, as well as national collaboration from experts in the field to provide new and improved course structure and resources for future rehabilitation counseling personnel.”

As one of the few universities in the nation offering a fully online master’s degree format in rehabilitation counseling, the program aims to reach rural areas where it is difficult to access rehabilitation education and training. The graduate rehabilitation counseling concentration in Autism Spectrum Disorders, as well as a 12-credit certificate, are available to a national audience.

“As a member of the deaf community, I am heartened to see such interest in deaf culture and American Sign Language by our students and our university, and excited to see that we can continue to build resources that allow our learners and community members to increase their knowledge and awareness of this population,” stated Paris.

Through a previous five-year grant from 2014 to 2019, rehabilitation counseling was able to exceed its original goal of graduating 20 scholars, graduating 23 scholars by summer 2019. Of those people, 90 percent are employed by state vocational rehabilitation services or other qualifying agencies.

Emporia State University’s counselor education department has a strong identity in the region, educating over 552 rehabilitation counselors over a span of more than 50 years. The department’s curriculum is specifically designed to provide both survey and experiential or high impact learning content as related to disability, deaf and hard of hearing issues, and rehabilitation services.

Faculty in the department collaborated on the grant applications. Along with Paris, Katrina Miller, Marjorie Bock, Basil Kessler, Carrie Boettcher and Jessie Stallings worked on the autism spectrum disorder grant. Paris, Miller, Kessler and Boettcher collaborated for the deaf and hard of hearing grant.

The rehabilitation counseling master’s degree program at ESU is accredited by Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. In 1999, ESU was the first university in Kansas to move courses into the digital environment; by 2003 the rehabilitation counseling program had established an online presence, and the full rehabilitation counseling curriculum became available online in 2014.

Center to Help Children, Families Dedicated

Thu, 3 Oct 2019 15:45:00 -0500

Dr. Joan Brewer, interim dean of The Teachers College at Emporia State University, is surrounded by Masons of the Grand Lodge of Kansas as she speaks during the dedication and consecration ceremony of the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center.

About 100 people attended an event recently for an organization that has the singular purpose of helping children learn to read and working with the communities the children live in to encourage this basic life skill.

The dedication and consecration of the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center took place on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the center, located within Visser Hall at Emporia State University.

Though the center may have just been dedicated, the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center has been active over recent years in its goals of helping families, schools, teachers, professionals in literacy development, and — most important — children.

“The first few years of life are the most critical for brain and language growth and development,” said Dr. Dennis Kear, KMLC executive director. “One of metrics the original proposal established for the center’s success was that its programs would impact 50,000 in 10 years. We are well on our way, with over 29,000 young people, students and adults who have participated in our events and programs as we approach the Year Three milestone.”

In March 2016, when the Masons of Kansas provided the $4 million gift to create the statewide literacy center, the goal was to impact all Kansans and allow the nearly 20,000 members of the Masons in the state to help facilitate literacy programming in local communities. The gift was the largest gift in the history of Emporia State.

While the new center was being constructed, Kear was working with numerous other organizations to fulfill the KMLC’s purpose.

At the dedication event, K-12 students, education majors at Emporia State, parents, Masons and reading volunteers impacted by KMLC’s programs and services spoke about how the KMLC had helped them.

Past and current efforts include:

Each summer since 2017, KMLC has requested the Kansas Governor proclaim the first week in September as Kansas Literacy Week. Posters were sent electronically to every school and library in Kansas. In 2019, a social media contest was added to raise awareness for the event. Participants from across the state added photos to the Facebook post each day. A winner was randomly chosen for each day to win a $100 library. There were over 240 entries and 2,262 engagements. Participants included 22 elementary schools, 13 libraries, seven daycares, two home schools and many individual families.
KMLC sponsored One School One Book, a national program by the Read to Them organization. Partnering with Village Elementary in Emporia in spring 2018, KMLC purchased more than 400 copies of a book for every student and staff member. K-6 students attended a kickoff event on ESU’s campus and four ESU student-athletes read the first chapter of the book aloud to the participants. To promote family reading, the students and their families were asked to read the rest of the book at home over the next six weeks. A drawing for prizes was held at the conclusion of the project for those students who completed reading the book.
From August 2019 through August 2020, KMLC is offering three rotations of all seven modules of “The Growing Brain” This professional learning is approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as 21 clock hours (3 clock hours per module) of credit toward child care re-licensure. The first rotation of modules, which began Aug. 24, 2019, had 54 daycare providers and preschool teachers enrolled.
KMLC coordinated the Kansas Book Festival Youth Writing Contest, held in the spring. This year’s theme was “To the Stars,” and contestants were asked to describe an event from the state’s rich past and explain its impact. The writing contest was open to Kansas students in Grades 3-12. Winners were selected in each of the four Congressional Districts at each level (Grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and were recognized at the Kansas Statehouse on Sept. 14. All winning essays will be compiled into a book and each winner will receive a copy. This was the first year the contest was coordinated by KMLC.

“Chief among KMLC’s projects is its work with Title 1 Schools,” said Tasia Markowitz, assistant director of the KMLC. “KMLC Target Schools are Title 1 Schools having high rates of students living in poverty, a high incidence of English Language Learners and low scores on the state English Language Arts standards.”

A few of the typical interventions used at these schools include:

support for after-school tutoring in literacy skills
professional development in literacy strategies
professional development in working with English Language Learners
purchase of guided reading materials
purchase of books for classroom libraries
support for summer school

KMLC Target Schools include:

Quindaro Elementary, Kansas City, Kansas (USD 500)
Ridgeview Elementary, Olathe (USD 233)
Logan Avenue Elementary, Emporia (USD 253)
Community Elementary, Coffeyville (USD 445)
Gordon Parks Academy, Wichita (USD 259)
IXL Elementary, Arkansas City (USD 470)
Highland Park Central Elementary, Topeka (USD 501)
Schilling Elementary, Salina (USD 305)
Park Elementary, Great Bend (USD 428)
Abe Hubert Elementary, Garden City (USD 457)
Oberlin Elementary, Oberlin (USD 294)
Humboldt Elementary, Humboldt (USD 258)
Central Elementary, Dodge City (USD 443)

More information about KMLC can be found at www.emporia.edu/literacy/.

William Allen White Award Celebration Focuses on Books, Children

Thu, 3 Oct 2019 09:15:00 -0500

Students and educators from across Kansas will celebrate children’s literature during the 67th annual William Allen White Children’s Book Awards on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at Emporia State University. The events are open to the public.

Authors Sara Pennypacker and Jason Reynolds will be guests of honor for the book awards during a day that culminates in receiving their awards. Pennypacker wrote “Pax,” selected by Kansas schoolchildren in Grades 3 through 5. Reynolds wrote “Ghost,” selected by voters in Grades 6 through 8.

Free events on Saturday kick off bright and early at 7:30 a.m. in Emporia State University’s Memorial Union. From 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., copies of the books and souvenirs of the celebration will be sold by the Memorial Union Bookstore, and both authors will be available to sign the books.

Also from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., children’s activities will be available including writing letters to authors, silly science, zoo docents and craft projects.

The awards ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. in Webb Hall on the second floor of the Memorial Union. Tickets cost $5 and are available at the door.

All participants should enter the east side of the Memorial Union. Ambassadors will direct everyone to activities from there.

The William Allen White Children’s Book Award program began after the famed journalist’s death on Jan. 29, 1944 — Kansas Day — when two memorial foundations were created in his name. Emporia State University launched the William Allen White Children’s Book Award, which was guided by Ruth Garver Gagliardo, who was hired by White to write for The Emporia Gazette.

ESU Presented Top Award for Education Leadership

Wed, 2 Oct 2019 16:15:00 -0500

The accreditation team in The Teachers College used Toy Story characters as a way to educate about and reinforce the accreditation standards. They presented on their efforts at the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation Conference in Washington, D.C.

Emporia State was the only university in Kansas to receive the award this year, and was one of only 13 institutions to receive the award out of the 238 nationally which have CAEP accreditation. Other schools recognized included Duke and Boston College.

“Recognition via the Frank Murray Award from CAEP further confirms the commitment of faculty and staff in The Teachers College to preparing outstanding teachers through maintaining excellence within our educator preparation programs. Our faculty and P-12 school partners make it a priority to ensure our candidates are ‘classroom-ready’ upon program completion,” explained Dr. Joan Brewer, interim dean of The Teachers College.

Brewer, along with faculty instrumental in the accreditation preparation process, were present to accept the Frank Murray Award for Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement at the most recent CAEP Conference. This is the first year the honor has been given by CAEP.

“Our faculty and staff in The Teachers College work hard every day to help our graduates pursue their calling,” said Allison D. Garrett, president of Emporia State University. “This hard work comes both in the classroom and in the effort it takes to gain re-accreditation.”

After receiving the award in the morning at the CAEP Conference in Washington, D.C., the ESU team presented “It’s Better to be Absolutely Ridiculous than Absolutely Boring: The Fun Side of Accreditation.” The presentation highlighted how the team engaged faculty and other stakeholders in the analysis of evidence and accreditation preparations.

“Pulling together the large amounts of information needed for accreditation can be a very arduous task. Add to that the need to ensure all involved in the process understand the various components. So an unusual dream led to connecting various Toy Story characters to the accreditation standards. This led to a fun and memorable approach to the accreditation process,” Brewer explained.

“(The Frank Murray award) recipients reflect the creativity that CAEP affords in achieving excellence, by meeting the standards in a variety of ways, for the diverse populations they serve,” said CAEP President Chris Koch.

Accreditation lasts seven years and ESU’s next site visit will be in 2025. ESU was previously accredited through NCATE, an accreditation it maintained for more than 20 years.

Emporia State Posts Enrollment Growth, Retention Record

Wed, 2 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Highest Current Student Retention Rate on Record

Highest Number on Record of Graduate Students Enrolled for Fall Semester

4% Growth in New First-Time Freshman Student Enrollment

72% Growth in Concurrent Enrollment

Emporia State University posted another year of enrollment growth thanks to another record retention rate and an increase in first-time freshman undergraduate and graduate students compared to fall 2018.

In fall 2019, Emporia State marked the highest first-year retention rate on record at two percentage points higher than fall 2018, which had been the highest rate on record for the school. First-year retention is first-time, full-time freshman students who were new in fall 2018 and returned for their second year of classes.

The university saw continued growth in new first-time freshmen undergraduate students with a 4% increase over fall 2018. New first-time graduate students also added to the total, resulting in the highest number of total graduate students in school history.

On Sept. 16, the 20th day of classes at Emporia State, the university recorded 5,877 students, an increase of 1.4% over fall 2018.

“We are pleased that prospective students and their families recognize both the quality education and the value provided by Emporia State,” said Allison D. Garrett, ESU president.

Emporia State also helps high school students who want a head start on their college goals. Fall 2019 saw a 72% increase in concurrent enrollment from fall 2018. ESU’s Jump Start program offers general education college courses during high school through supported online, on campus or dual-credit instruction. Students who participate in fall, spring and a summer semester can earn up to 15 hours of college credit before they graduate from high school. Since fall 2017, the number of students in Jump Start has tripled.

“Starting college while in high school is just one way that Emporia State students find to reduce their overall cost of earning a college degree,” Garrett said.

Emporia State graduates report an average student debt upon graduation that is $6,300 below the national average and $3,900 below the Kansas average, based on information from the Institute for College Access & Success. ESU alumni have averaged a 97% career outcome rate over the past three years. The rate measures job placement or pursuit of graduate study in their field.

NCAA Chief Medical Officer to Speak at Emporia State

Wed, 2 Oct 2019 09:45:00 -0500

The Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA Dr. Brian Hainline will be in Emporia on Monday to spend the day with Emporia State students and staff. As the Chief Medical Officer for the NCAA, Dr. Hainline oversees the NCAA Sport Science Institute, a national center of excellence whose mission is to promote and develop safety, excellence, and wellness in college student-athletes, and to foster lifelong physical and mental development.

He will have several private sessions with Emporia State students and staff members throughout the day. He will begin the day hitting balls with Hornet tennis coach Les Stafford and several players on the Milton Courts. He will meet with the Emporia State athletic staff and coaches after lunch and then with the student athletic trainers and full time sports medicine staff. He will also meet with members of the Emporia State Biology Department before having dinner with the ESU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Dr. Hainline will wrap up the day with his presentation "Can Sport Save Society?" at 7 p.m. in the ESU Memorial Union's Webb Hall. The presentation is free and open to the public.

At the NCAA, Hainline developed, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, the NCAA-DoD Grand Alliance, which includes the multimillion-dollar CARE Consortium study that aims to understand the natural history of concussion and neurobiological recovery in concussion. The clinical study, with an advanced research component, is the largest prospective clinical study ever conducted in the history of concussion. The Grand Alliance also includes a Mind Matters educational and research initiative, the goal of which is to change the culture of concussion. Hainline has taken a leadership role in addressing other pressing issues of student-athletes, including mental health, overuse injuries, alcohol and drug misuse, and sudden cardiac death. He has developed key alliances with youth sport organizations, understanding that an effective sport model begins during youth and extends to college and beyond, with a premise that sport should be a model of wellness for life.

He is Clinical Professor of Neurology at New York University School of Medicine and Indiana University School of Medicine and has been involved in sports medicine for over 30 years, including serving as Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships and the United States Tennis Association. He co-authored "Drugs and the Athlete" and played a pivotal role in the development of drug testing and education protocols worldwide. He was CMO of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships for 16 years, and then served as CMO of the U.S. Tennis Association before moving to the NCAA.

Campus Buzz From President Allison D. Garrett

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Broadband Discussion

Emporia State was honored to be the site of a visit byFCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who convened a broadband roundtable on Sept. 19 in the School of Business. The event was coordinated by the office of U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall. Community leaders, broadband providers and others attended.

Sleeping Pods

The fact that Emporia State is the first college or university in Kansas to bring sleeping podsto campus is garnering plenty of attention. In a partnership with San Diego-based Hohm, ESU is providing space for two sleep pods at no cost. Hohm paid for the installation, hired three students to work as attendants. Each ESU student receives two free hours of sleep per month then can book naps for $10 per hour or $5 per 30 minutes. Media outlets in Emporia, Topeka and Kansas City have covered the unique service.

Arts & Sciences

The artistic works of Nancy Pontius are displayed in the Atrium Gallery throughout September. Pictured is Nancy at the opening reception of her display. Nancy is a member of the Emporia State University faculty and a talented set designer. Her set designs include “I Do! I Do!,” “Macbeth,” The Sound of Music,” and “Noises Off.”

Students of communication instructor Kenna Reeves’s Communication and Event Planning course and members of Lambda Pi Eta, the honor society for communication majors, partnered with local business owners Kent and Natalie Schnakenberg to help with field day activities at Hetlinger Developmental Services on Friday, September 6. Activities included helping clients play disc golf, corn hole, and ride bicycles. The Lyon County Sheriff's Office also participated in the festivities.

Congratulations to all of the ESU faculty and students whose art is on display at the offices of the Kansas Board of Regents in Topeka. The paintings, ceramics, photography and glass pieces will be displayed through the 2019-20 academic year.

Thanks to Drs. Melissa Bailey and Scott Crupper and students Taylor Smith, Kenadee Palmitier, Christi Meyer and Ashley Haas for participating in the career fair and poster session at the KBI laboratory to kick off National Forensic Science Week. The Master of Science in Forensic Science students from ESU presented their research, while the faculty talked to students about the program.

Business

Alumni Craig and Brad Clark presented the Executive Houron Sept. 20. They discussed Resume Tips & Review. The Clarks’ next Executive Hour will be Nov. 1 on “Saving the World Through Entrepreneurship, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability.”

The Chinese Language lessonshad a great start. The language program meets every Saturday morning from 10 to 11am in the library except holidays and break.

The first McNair Scholar to be published is Carolina Taylor, accounting student, with Dr. Joyce Zhou. The paper titled “How Does Culture Affect International Business Between the United States and China?” was published in the Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Associationgathered and celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept. 15.

Libraries & Archives

Students learned about library policy, facilities, resources and services during the first international students’ library tour and talk on September 12, led by Dean Michelle Hammond.

The Teachers College

Dr. Tiffany Hill, Assistant Professor in elementary education, was recently named an approved Annual Report Reviewer for Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Dr. Sara Schwerdtfeger, Assistant Professor in elementary education, was recently selected for a national fellowship opportunity. The Klawe Fellowshipis a national opportunity for professionals to build their leadership skills as they advocate for high quality instructional materials at the local, state, and national levels.

Students in PE 300 History of Physical Education and Sport were instructed by Carmen Leeds, director of ESU’s Memorial Union and former coach, on the history and rules of Granny Basketballon September 17. Leeds is currently on a Granny Basketball team and is in the process of creating such a team in Emporia.

Dr. Brian Harris, 1978 School Counseling graduate, visited with Counselor Educationfaculty on Monday, September 9th. Brian is a retired superintendent, currently living near Lawrence. He remembers Counselor Education when it was located in Visser Hall!

Dr. Connie Phelps, Director of Gifted Education, is on sabbatical in Europe this semester. She recently took a tour of “Black Paris Tour.” TheNoirs de France contributed their gifts, talents, and creativity in many fields such as jazz, writing, music, and military. The “Black Paris Tour” highlighted accomplishments of both American and European Black people during the past 200 years. Phelps also visited the Arken Museum in Copenhagen where she consulted with the founder of a new gifted school.

The Kansas Book Festival Youth Writing Contestwas coordinated by the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center at Emporia State University. This year’s theme was “To the Stars” and contestants were asked to describe an event from the state’s rich past and explain its impact. The writing contest was open to Kansas students in grades 3-12. Winners were selected in each of the four Congressional Districts.

The Kansas Masonic Literacy Center sponsored Kansas Literacy Week, September 1-7. Posters were distributed to schools and public libraries across the state. A social media contest promoted the week and four photos were drawn for a $100 library. There were over 240 entries and 2262 engagements. Winners included a rural family, two libraries, and a preschool.

KMLC partnered with the public librarians and the public and private schools in Coffey, Lyon and Osage Counties on the Rocket Project. The librarians went into all the kindergarten classes in their service area and read the book, “How Rocket Learned to Read.” They then gave a copy of the book, “Rocket’s Very Fine Day,” to each of the kindergartners compliments of the KMLC.

Alvin Peters, Director of the Great Plains Center for National Teacher Certification, led informational meetings and/or orientations in Emporia, Manhattan, and Topeka in September for teachers seeking National Board Certification. The annual orientation academy at Emporia State was held September 6-7 and sponsored by State Farm, a long-time supporter of the center.

Health & Human Performance students presented to members of the USD 253 Emporia school district on September 18 for a weekly wellness class.

Emily Pham (BS 2019, Health & Human Performance) was recently named the new Wellness Coordinatorfor the City of Topeka.

The Department of Health, Physical Education, & Recreation hosted a workshop “You Can’t Spell HoPE without PE”on September 12 for coaches and educators. A number of ESU alumni attended.

The TESOL Program attended the KC campus' annual educator's fairon September 19. Dr. Cate Crosby, TESOL Program Coordinator, and Dr. Joan Brewer, Interim Dean of The Teachers College, met and talked with many students about the program.

Library & Information Management

Current SLIM students had a great tour of the Mikkelsen Libraryled by alum Brittany Fischer (SD MLS 2019) in South Dakota as part of LI802: Information-Seeking Behavior and Reference Services taught by Brenda Linares.

Congratulations to Zoey Nelson (CO MLS 2019), who has accepted a new role at the Art Institute of Houstonas their Campus Librarian.

Congratulations to 2019 graduate Danica White, who received a three-year postgraduate appointment as faculty for the third cohort of the University Libraries Diversity Residency Programat Penn State.

Koch Center

The Koch Center for Leadership and Ethics kicked off this year's Governance, Law, & Economics Lecture Serieswith a talk by Jack L. White of Fluet, Huber, + Hoang PLLC on "Free Speech: Context for Consciousness in Democracy" on Sept. 12. The event was attended by 170 students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University.

On Sept. 17, the Adam Smith Clubhosted Liberty at the Movies with a viewing and discussion of “A Beautiful Mind.”

Presentations

Dr. Marcia Schulmeister, Professor, Physical Sciences, gave an invited presentation at the 21st National Environmental Conference at Tar Creek, in Miami, Oklahoma: “Lead, Zinc and Cadmium in flood-prone sediments along Tar Creek.” The presentation is part of her ongoing work on the fate of contaminant metals in the Tri-state mining district. This work was partially funded by a 2018 ESU High Impact Learning grant to Marcia and Qiyang Zhang, Assistant Professor, Physical Sciences.

Dr. Neal Luo was the invited speaker at Symposium on Education and Culture Development in the Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong)in May 2019. He presented his research on “American School Leadership Standards and Data-Driven Decision Making” to 250 Chinese teachers and school administrators.

Dr. Jasmine Linabary, Communication & Theatre, was an invited panelist at New York Universityfor a program September 13 on locally led peacebuilding titled "Reflections from the field: Why effective peacebuilding must be locally-led."

Publication

Emily Vardell published “Health insurance literacy and health disparities in the United States: A literature review” in The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion.

Campus Events Provide Fun on Family Day

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:15:00 -0500

A color run, planetarium show and football game are just some of the fun activities on the Emporia State University campus to celebrate Family Day 2019 on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The fun begins with the Nitty Gritty Tie Dye Run through the campus. Check-in and pre-race activities for the 5K run begins at 9 a.m. Sept. 21. The run takes off at 9:30 a.m. from the Student Recreation Center on the north end of campus. As participants run they are splashed with color and will finish the race with a gigantic “Color Party!"

Wear a white T-shirt to make best use of all the colors. The entry fee for the run is $25 for adults, and $15 for ESU students and youth (17 and under). For an additional $10, community members can receive an ESU football game ticket for ESU vs. University of Nebraska at Kearney and lunch and drink at the Watering Hole before the game!

Registration is online at https://www.emporia.edu/recsport/events/nitty-gritty.html.Proceeds benefit Camp Alexander, Emporia Childcare and Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Before the football game kicks off in the afternoon, Peterson Planetarium in Science Hall will show its Full Dome Show from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information: https://www.emporia.edu/physci/planetarium/.

Finally, kickoff is 2 p.m. for the football game between Emporia State and University of Nebraska at Kearney. During halftime, the family of Gene and Betty Plank will be honored as the 2019 Hornet Heritage Family. Ticket information is available online at https://emporiastatetickets.universitytickets.com/w/default.aspx.

Planks Honored as Hornet Heritage Family

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 14:15:00 -0500

Diplomas and certifications from Emporia State University fill the foliage on Gene and Betty Plank’s family tree.

The Emporia couple and their extended family will be recognized as the 2019 Hornet Heritage Family at halftime of the football game against the University of Nebraska Kearney on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Welch Stadium.

The award, sponsored by the ESU Alumni Association, annually recognizes a multigenerational family of alumni and former students who have maintained close ties with Hornet Nation.

Family patriarch Gene Plank’s introduction to ESU came via correspondence courses while he was teaching in a one-room rural schoolhouse.

After discharge from the military, he came to then Kansas State Teachers College campus and lived in “Vet City” housing to continue his education. He was impressed with the quality of the faculty, the friendly atmosphere and the excellence of the educational program.

He left with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s in counseling. Betty Plank also took coursework at ESU.

Later, he became a part-time adjunct instructor, and soon returned to campus full-time. He was a full professor for 22 of his 30 years on the faculty in the Division of Psychology and Special Education.

His dedication went beyond expectations.

“He did some things other people wouldn’t have done,” son Elwin Plank said. “I know, for example, he would help actually enroll students. ... He would go into a lot of cities and teach classes where students couldn’t make it” to campus.

The Planks had high expectations for their children, too.

“My parents really taught us, especially my dad, to value education,” said daughter Debra (Debbie) Plank Sack. “It was really very important to them that we got our college degree.”

All seven children made the Hornet connection, as alumni or former students: Debbie Plank Sack, BSE 1984, MS 1988, and educational administration certification; Kevin Plank, BS 1982, MS 1983; Gary Plank, BSE 1980, MS 1982; Stephanie Plank Clements, former student; Elwin Plank, BSE 1981, MS 1982, EdS, 1989; Sheryl Plank Simonis, former student; and Tina Plank, BSE 1983, MS 1990 and elementary administration certification. Other Hornet family alumni members include Debbie Sack’s husband, Tom; Elwin Plank’s wife, Sheri Keefe Plank; and Tina Plank’s son, Noah Plank Retherford.

The elder Planks take pride in the different programs their family became involved in — psychology, education, special education, science and social sciences. Many spent at least a portion of their careers as teachers, counselors and administrators. With some Native American ancestry, son Gary Plank, Ph.D., took his first job as an educator on a reservation.

“It’s really kind of a part of our heritage, how important education is,” he said, “and you can see it in our family.”

Gene and Betty Plank also gave a gift for scholarships through the ESU Foundation.

Partnership with HOHM Brings Two Nap Pods to campus

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 08:30:00 -0500

With blackout curtains and soundproofing, the HOHM sleep pod offers the ESU campus community a simple way to catch a nap.

Emporia State University is bringing napping to new places with the help of HOHM. ESU is only the second university in the United States to implement these unique sleep pods, which unlike other pods, are more like a small bedroom than an actual pod. Following the ribbon-cutting at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, ESU students and faculty will be able to reserve their spot to take a nap in the comfort of HOHM.

HOHM is a custom-engineered, sound-blocking sleep pod designed to provide individuals with comfort, privacy and a quick escape. In each 43.5 square-foot pod, HOHM features a comfortable twin-sized bed, a privacy and sound-blocking curtain, charging stations and a tablet to control reservations. The HOHM Team will staff all installations, be there to help people with check-in and check-out, ensure single occupancy, and clean rooms and change sheets after each use.

“We know that good sleep plays a vital role in overall health and well-being,” said Dr. Jim Williams, Vice President of Student Affairs at Emporia State University. “These sleeping pods can help our students reap the benefits of being rested.”

“Our first installation with the University of Arizona was a wild success with nearly 250 bookings in the first 10 weeks. It’s clear that students need a safe, comfortable, and convenient way to get rest on campus,” said Nikolas Woods, Founder and CEO of HOHM. “We can’t wait to see the reaction from Emporia State University.”

Two HOHM sleeping pods will be available on the ESU campus. The first will be ready for use starting Monday, Sept. 16, on the first floor of William Allen White Library. It will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. each day. The second pod will be located in the Memorial Union at the beginning of October. Nap slots (ranging from 30 minutes to up to four hours) can be reserved on first-come, first-serve basis through the mobile-friendly HOHM website. Once booked, students simply go to the location, check in and recharge.

HOHM installed the sleep pods at no cost to Emporia State University. It is a way to gain exposure for their company. For ESU, the partnership provides another benefit for students.

HOHM plans to expand its sleeping pod placements to additional universities in the next year and will also serve co-working spaces, corporate offices, and special events and airports. Visit http://www.hohm.life for more information.

About HOHM
HOHM is a custom-engineered, sound-blocking sleep pod, designed to provide individuals with comfort, privacy, and a quick escape from the hectic environment. Located in San Diego, CA, HOHM was founded in 2018 by a team of entrepreneurs and engineers on a mission to give everyone a safe, comfortable, and easy-to-find place to get some much-needed rest. Find out more by visiting http://www.hohm.life.

The Campus Buzz From President Allison D. Garrett

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0500

Graduate Work

Congratulations to 2019 graduate Sarah Spoon (BA Modern Language & English, History & Journalism minors, Spanish concentration). A student at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Sarah received first prize and a $5,000 Peter O.E. Bekker Scholarship.Wrote the New York Press Club in its program, “We look forward to watching Sarah continue to hold accountable those who attack freedom of the press and know she will go on to do amazing things for our profession.”

Constitution Day

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly will be the keynote speaker at the 2019 Constitution Dayprogram on campus. Created by the Department of Social Sciences, this is the seventh year for the event, which brings 500 high school students to campus to learn more about the U.S. Constitution.

Arts & Sciences

The ESU Trumpet Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Gary Ziek, performed by invitation at International Trumpet Guild Conferencein Miami, July 9-13. Chosen by audition, the group played two selections as a Concert Prelude for the Venezuelan ensemble “7/4.” The students also met ESU alumni John Laing (BSE Music Education 1969; graduate student 1975). John continues to teach trumpet and horn lessons in his retirement in Miami.

Chen Deng (MM Piano Performance 2018) recently was appointed as pianist of the Chongqing National Orchestrain Chongqing, China.

Congratulations to Dr. David McKenzie (Biology), who was awarded a research grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to study “Woodland dynamics and decline at the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge.”

Business

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and Koch Industries, two of our Corporate Connections partners,visited our students about internship and career opportunities within their companies. All eight Koch employees who visited were BizHornet alumni.

Over 150 students attended the School of Business annual BizFeston August 28. Students learned about the different majors and student organizations the School has to offer and had the opportunity to practice some speed interviewing and get feedback on their resume from alumni Brad Cochennet, Mike Law, and Angela Watson.

The Teachers College

For the month of August, the Department of Counselor Education recognizes Cynthia Kane, Professor, Library & Archives, as a Partner in Excellence.Thank you, Cynthia, for your enthusiasm and support in providing workshops, trainings, and information, all essential to the ongoing success of our faculty and students!

Big shout out to Health & Human Performance graduate Craig Barnes for being among those chosen for the 2019 Topeka's Top 20 Under 40.

Dr. Sara Schwerdtfeger, Assistant Professor in Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Special Education, is quoted in an article in The 74 about Ed Reports’work reviewing curricular materials for adherence to Common Core standards. Sara is a former elementary teacher.

Library & Information Management

Our newest program in Las Vegas had its first cohort weekend. During that time, Dr. Emily Vardell and students toured the UNLV Lied Library.

The South Dakota program of the School of Library and Information Management graduated its first classwith MLS degrees. Congratulations, graduates!

Dr. Mirah J. Dow, Professor and Director, Ph.D. Program, has been named Associate Editor of The International Journal of Information, Diversity, & Inclusion. Dr. Dow will serve along with Associate Editors Dr. Nadia Caidi, University of Toronto, Canada; Dr. Vanessa Irvin, University of Hawaii at Mānoa; Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Keren Dali, University of Denver; and Senior Managing Editors, Leah Brochu, National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), Canada, and Laina Kelly, Yellowhead Regional Library, Canada.

Congratulations to two alumni of the South Dakota program who were elected to section chairs of the South Dakota Library Association. Korey Erickson is School Library Chair, and Amanda Bremmon is Public Library chair.

Athletics

The inaugural Emporia State Hornet Fest was a rousing success with over 175 Emporia area youths involved in the multi-sport youth clinic. The Emporia State Athletic Department, in conjunction with the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Love2Play Initiative held the event on Jones Field at Welch Stadium on August 28.

Congratulations to Dr. Terri Summey, Professor/Research and Instruction Librarian, University Libraries & Archives, who is learning the role of Faculty Athletics Representativealongside Dr. Scott Waters. Terri will take over when Scott steps down at the end of 2019-20.

Both the Emporia State men's and women's cross countryteams placed third overall behind a pair of NCAA Division II schools at the season-opening meet — the Wichita State JK Gold Classic in Augusta, Kansas.

Presentations

Dr. Bill Stinson and Dr. Mark Stanbrough presented "Strategies Using Contemporary Brain Science to Improve Peak Performance" at the North American Coach Development Summitheld in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Dr. Mark Stanbrough presented "Turning Conditioning Upside Down- Positive Physical Conditioning" at the North American Coach Development Summitheld in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He also serves on the National Governance Committee of the National Committee for the Accreditation of Coaching Education.

Todd Roberts presented at the National Whole Brain Teaching Conferencein Cleveland, Ohio. Roberts became the first ever to receive his Gold Certification while teaching at the college level.

Libby Schmanke, Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselor Education, provided a peer-reviewed session titled “Using Bridge Drawings in Groups to Promote Personalized Understanding of the Stages of Change” at the conference of the NAADAC: National Association for Addiction ProfessionalsJune 14 in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Cate Crosby was an invited panelist and poster presenter on her current research, "Transitioning Young English Learners to School Literacy in an L2" at the Midwest Faculty Conferencein Cedarville, Michigan, in June.

Dr. Michael Widdersheim, School of Library and Information Management, and Masanori Koizumi, University of Tsukuba, Japan, presented the paper “Cultural policy, the public sphere, and public libraries: A comparison of Nordic, American, and Japanese models” at the9th Nordic Conference on Cultural Policy Research, Bifröst University, Iceland.

Dr. Tim Burnett, Biology, and Savannah Bender (BS Biochemistry/Molecular Biology 2019) presented a poster, “Examining the utility of the DEREG transgenic mouse model in studying mucosal tolerance,” at the IDeA Central Region Conferencein Oklahoma City.

Publications

Dr. Connie Phelps, Director of Gifted Education, published “Incubating mathematical creativity through a molecular gastronomy 101 Saturday enrichment camp” in Including the Highly Gifted and Creative Students — Current Ideas and Future Directions (pp. 296-303). Proceedings of the 11th International Conference Mathematical Creativity and Giftedness (MCG 11). Hamburg, Germany: Universität Hamburg.

3Dimensional Coachingpublished Dr. Mark Stanbrough’s book, “Coaching Character Through Accounts of Excellence.”

Drs. Tanja Steigner, Marian Riedy, and Antonina Bauman published a paper, "Legal Family, Cultural Dimensions, and FDI" in theInternational Journal of Managerial Finance, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 285-314.

Dr. Brendan Fay published "The Nazi Conspiracy Theory: German Fantasies and Jewish Power in the Third Reich" in the journal Library and Information History, 35 (2): 75-97.

Conferences

Ashleigh Boeckmann, Jocelyn Bollig, and Kristen Fraley attended the National Whole Brain Teaching Conferencein Cleveland, Ohio. These students will graduate in December 2020 and became the first to ever complete their Silver Certification as a preservice teacher.

The Campus Buzz From President Allison Garrett

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 13:45:00 -0500

Emporia Movie Premiere

Prof. Kevin Rabas, chair of English, Modern Languages and Journalism, co-directed a short documentary, “Strawberry Hill Fight Club,”which screened at the IFC Kansas City film festival this summer. It will be screened Saturday in Emporia at the No Coast Film Festival and at the Kansas International Film Festival this fall.

First Place

“Little Spouse on the Prairie,” the comedy radio program created by Valerie Brown-Kuchera, a student in the School of Library & Information Management Ph.D. program, was featured in the Daily Yonder blog. Brown-Kuchera’s program airs on High Plains Public Radio and earned first prize in commentary from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters.

Arts & Sciences

Congratulations to Diana Acevedo (MS Biology, 2012) who received the Nuestra Latina STEM/Education Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City. She is currently a fourth-year student pursuing a Ph.D. in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Congratulations to Dr. Erika Martin, biology, who is the new editor of Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science.

Exciting news for the ESU Jazz Ensemble I,which was selected to play at the Kansas Music Educators Association conference in February. Groups may only perform every two years. This is the ninth selection for ESU since 2001.

Congratulations to 21 students who took General Biology 141 in fall 2018. The students wrote a paper on their research on microplastics in the Great Plains. The paper was accepted for publication in the fall issue of Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science.

Congratulations to Rayna Karst (BA English 2018), who started her new job as communications coordinatorin the office of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly this month.

Alumni Landon Nault (BS Biology 2018) and Abigail Brown (BS Biology 2018) have started their graduate studies in the Physician Assistant Programat University of Oklahoma.

Business

Congratulations to the Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter for being the “best in business” and qualifying for Highest Honors Chapter for the 2018-2019 academic year from Beta Gamma Sigma Global Headquarters. This status is indicative of a campus where academic excellence is valued and where the faculty officers of the chapter work diligently to enhance Beta Gamma Sigma’s stature on campus.

Congratulations to Dr. Jeffrey Muldoon for winning the John F. Mee award for the “Best Management History Division Contributor,” the most prestigious annual award at the Academy of Management. This award commemorates the contributor of Professor John F. Mee, a long-time management scholar at Indiana University and the 7th President of the Academy. Dr. Muldoon was also named as the author with the most downloads in the last 12 months in the Journal of Management History for his article, “The Hawthorne Legacy: A Reassessment of the Impact of the Hawthorne Students on Management Scholarship, 1930–1958.”

Four students and the two co-advisors for Beta Alpha Psiattended the annual international meeting in Chicago, August 8–10, 2019. Pictured are, from left, Carolina Taylor, Benesta Liburd, Alex McAnerney, James Howerton, and advisors Dr. Juan Chavarria and Dr. George Durler.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Associationcompleted the new student orientation on August 18. The faculty presented topics related to the student campus life and studies.

The Teachers College

Dr. Connie Phelps, Professor of Gifted Education in the Department of Elementary Education/Early Childhood/Special Education, is the inaugural Dr. John E. King Endowed Professorof The Teachers College.

Dr. Carol Russell was Keynote Speakerfor the 2019 Canada International Conference on Education in Toronto, Canada, June 24-27, 2019. She presented “Integrating Art into the Inclusive Early Childhood Curriculum,” which culminated her over 40 years of interdisciplinary research and teaching experiences in inclusive arts. Her presentation focused on the right of creative expression for ALL children, regardless of ability level, culture or race, gender, or native language.

Alvin Peters performed peer-review scoring for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standardsin Arizona this year for his 19th consecutive summer.

Dr. Melissa Reed and Chieko Zimmerman, elementary education major, organized a Civic Engagement Campat Emporia State University June 17-21 for children entering Grades 4-8 this Fall. Thirteen students worked on group investigations on topics related to environmental rights, human rights, and animal rights to explore civic engagement experiences.

Dr. Janet Holland received the Best Paper Awardat the World Academy of Science, Engineering, & Technology Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands August 6-7, for “Eye Tracking: Biometric Evaluations of Instructional Materials for Improved Learning.”

Dr. Nancy Albrecht was the Keynote I speakerat Symposium on Education and Culture Development in the Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong), May 24, 2019. She spoke to 250 Chinese teachers was interviewed by the media and local news. This symposium was sponsored by the Chinese government.

Dr. Nancy Albrecht, Professor in Educational Administration, in The Teachers College and her husband, Kenneth Albrecht, Emporia State University alumnus, were delegates to the International Sister City 30th Anniversary Celebrationin Eutin, Germany this past June. Dr. Albrecht was the first teacher from Lawrence High School to accompany students on the first student/teacher exchange in 1991. The Albrechts have been actively involved in this international ambassador work for nearly three decades and have worked to establish scholarships to assist student participation in this program. More than 500 students have joined in these experiences.

Maria Loewen (MS 2017 - Curriculum & Instruction) of Newton Schools recently toured schools in Paraguay. Sponsored by Kansas Paraguaypartners to observe teachers, Loewen participated in an iLearn conference during her 12-day trip. Loewen teaches science at the Santa Fe 5th and 6th Grade Center in Newton.

Dr. Jennifer Thomas and 10 Health & Human Performance majors attended the annual Working Wellness Conferencein downtown Wichita on August 20. The professional development opportunity was courtesy of the Health & Wellness Coalition of Wichita.

On July 23, visitors from the Vietnam National University of Agriculturemet with faculty from Emporia State’s Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages program and Instructional Design & Technology department, as well as Dr. Joan Brewer, interim dean of The Teachers College Dean.

“Establishing a Collaborative Culture in Linn and Barber Counties to Support Healthy Brain Development, Birth to Age 5,” a proposal by Dr. Dennis Kear, Executive Director, and Amanda Parkman, Administrative Assistant, Kansas Masonic Literacy Center, was funded for $25,000 from the Kansas Health Foundation.

Drs. Jim Persinger and Keith Wylie, along with undergraduate psychology ambassadors, presented to new ESU students during the mini majors camp that was part of Orientation activities.

Library & Information Management

We welcome Jeana Menger, who will be the new Program Director for Oregon, following the retirement of Pierina (Perri) Parise.

Eight students from the School of Library and Information Management spent 10 days studying libraries and archives in Serbia, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Smith, Associate Professor. Highlights of the trip included visits to the Preservation Lab at the National Library of Serbia and the Children’s Library at the Belgrade City Library, as well as visits to libraries in the cities of Novi Sad and Niš.

Congratulations to alum Stephanie Bailey-White, who was named the new Idaho state librarian.

Current SLIM student, Ruth Mahaffy has been selected to receive the 2019 LITA/Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship ($3,000) sponsored by the Library and Information Technology Associationand Baker & Taylor.

The American Library Association’s Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded one of their 2019 Spectrum Scholarshipsto Oregon SLIM student, Alisa Williams. A prestigious committee of twenty-one jurors selected this year’s Spectrum Scholars based on their commitment to equity and inclusion, demonstrated community outreach, commitment to the library profession, and leadership potential.

Congratulations to alum Erin Wells, the new library director for the Walla Walla (Washington) Public Library.

Student Affairs

The Center for Student Involvement kicked off the start of the year with New Hornet Orientation.Record numbers of students participated in the events of Orientation, and the festivities continued through the first week of classes with events like the Block Party, Party on the Lawn and Huge Activities Fair.

Our new Schallenkamp Hallwas featured in Saint Louis Construction News and Review for the work done by St. Louis-based KWK Architects.

Koch Center

In July, Dr. Derek Yonai attended “A Free Society and the Academy” conference hosted by the Mercatus Centerat George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia.

During the first two weeks of August, Dr. Yonai led two professional development sessions for Texas high school teachersat Cleburne IDS and at Arlington ISD. At both development sessions, he taught his modules on “Morality of Markets” and “Culture and Trade” to the districts’ social science, geography, and history teachers.

Athletics

Six individuals and the winningest men’s basketball team in school history will be inducted into the Emporia State Athletic Hall of Honor on Saturday, October 19 as part of Homecoming festivities at Emporia State. The inductees will join a group of 208 former student-athletes, coaches and administrators and 19 teams who have distinguished themselves, the University and their professions through their athletic achievement.

Emporia State track & field All-American Brianna Schmitz is now the MIAA’s nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year. A total of 148 student-athletes chosen by NCAA conferences and a selection committee will advance as nominees for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The women were selected from a pool of 585 school nominees.

Pete Clarke (BSB 1964) won gold medalsin both the 100- and 200-meter races for his age group at the USA Track & Field Open and Masters Championships in New York. Now 78, Pete was a member of the 1961-62 Cross Country team inducted into the ESU Athletics Hall of Honor.

Emporia State’s Julius Jackson will become the third Hornet to sign a professional contract with Raiders Basket Jarvenpaa in Finland. He is the third Hornet men’s basketball player to sign professionally after this past season. Hassan Thomas signed with Sampaense Basket of Portugal Proliga while Malik Hluchoweckyj signed with KK Bratunac of the Bosnia BiH Liga earlier this summer.

Presentations

Dr. Carol Russell, Dr. Heather Caswell, and Mr. Fletch Russell, MFA presented “ESU’s Children Inspire Glass Project”for the 2019 Canada International Conference on Educationin Toronto, Canada, June 24-27, 2019. Their presentation focused on how the interdisciplinary group of ESU faculty and students offer extraordinary opportunities for Emporia area children ages 5-10 to create stories and design creatures to be transformed into glass sculpture.

Dr. Janet Holland presented “Augmented Reality: 3D Holograms for Engaged Learning” July 27- 28 at the Pixel International Conference, The Future of Education, in Florence, Italy.

In July, Dr. Jim Persinger presented “LGBTQ+ Gifted” at GLSEN’s annual Chapter Leadership Institutein Los Angeles.

At the Pacific Northwest Library Association Conference, current SLIM student, Amy Stewart, presented on “Zine Creation, Beyond Fandoms: The Digital Ecology Behind Fanfiction and Why Libraries Need to Pay Attention,” and Bronwyn Dorhofer (2011) presented on, “Making the Most of Early-Career Librarianship.”

On August 15, Kenna Reeves, Communication and Theatre Department, spoke to the Emporia Chapter of Altrusa Internationalon “Conflict Management from the Inside Out: Filtering What I Say and How I Say It.”

Dr. Heidi Hamilton presented a paper titled “Who’s really the victim? The ‘hashtag hijacking’ of #HimToo as localized narrative argument” at the Alta Conference on Argumentation.

Dr. Jasmine Linabary, assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Theatre, presented a paper titled “Whose ethics? An engaged project to develop ethical guidelines for research and evaluation” at the Aspen Conference on Engaged Communication Scholarshipin July.

The 2019 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologistswas in Snowbird, Utah from July 24-28. Five graduate students and biology faculty members Drs. Alexis Powell and Lynnette Sievert from ESU attended. The following oral presentations were given by the group. The * represents the student presenting.

Donglin Han* and Lynnette Sievert presented “The effect of temperature on activity of the digestive behavior of Anaxyrus woodhousii” (Woodhouse’s toad)
John Bellah* and Lynnette Sievert presented “Biting the hand that feeds you: Effects of parasitism in northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon)”
Michael Mahr*, Justin Autz, Jennifer Buchanan, Alexis Powell, Lynnette Sievert, David Edds, and J. Daren Riedle presented “Morpologic variation, geographic distributions, and taxonomic boundaries of map turtles (Graptemysspp.) in Kansas”
Jennifer Buchanan*, Alexis Powell, and Lynnette Sievert presented “Diet of the mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in lentic versus lotic habitats”
Justin Autz*, Jennifer Buchanan, Michael Mahr, Alexis Powell, Lynnette Sievert, David Edds, and J. Daren Riedle presented “Distribution and seasonal activity patterns of the mudpuppy in eastern Kansas”.
Lynnette Sievert presented the Trustee’s report and the Kennedy Student Award Report at the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles board meeting and at the SSAR business meeting.

These presentations were given at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, August 11 through 16 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. Biology graduate student, Heather Kraus, presented results from her thesis research and her advisor, Dr. Bill Jensen, co-wrote this and two other presentations from this collaborative research effort. Citations as follows (*presenter):

Kraus, H.M.*, W.E. Jensen, M.L. Jameson, G.R. Houseman, and M.M. Reichenborn. ”Nestling condition of a grassland bird not associated with food availability in restored grasslands of the Great Plains.”
Morphew, A.R.*, M.L. Jameson, G.R. Houseman, W.E. Jensen, M.M. Reichenborn, D.F. Watson, and E.L. Kjaer. ”Native bee responses to habitat management of restored grasslands in the Great Plains.”
Watson, D.F.*, G.R. Houseman, M.L. Jameson, W.E. Jensen, M.M. Reichenborn, and A.R. Morphew. ”Effect of cattle grazing on Conservation Reserve Program grasslands across a precipitation gradient.”

Publications

Dr. Elizabeth Dobler co-wrote a book this summer, “FromCuriosity to Deep Learning: Personal Digital Inquiry in Grades K-5,” published by Stenhouse.

Zach Selley (OR MLS 2011 and adjunct instructor) has published an article on ”DPLA in the Pacific Northwest: The Orbis Cascade Alliance Case,” OLA Quarterly, Vol. 4, no. 4, 2019.

“‘Tomboy’ is anachronistic. But the concept still has something to teach us,” an article by Lynne Stahl (OR MLS 2018) appeared in The Washington Post.

Dr. Jasmine Linabary, assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Theatre, recently published a co-written article titled “From data points to people: Feminist situated ethics in online big data research” in International Journal of Social Research Methodology.

Patrick Callahan’s review of A.M. Juster’s edition and translation of John Milton’s Latin Book of Elegies was published in the University Bookman.

Dr. Michael Widdersheim, Brady Lund and Betty Kemboi, School of Library and Information Management, published the article “Change Management in Public Libraries: Research-Based Political Strategies” in the Journal of Library Administration.

Prof. Kevin Rabas (EMLJ) published a new book of poems, “Watch Your Head” (Kellogg Press).

“A response to Hazelwood: Kansas advisers helped to create legal support for students” by Prof. Kristy Dekat (English, Modern Language, and Journalism) was published in the Fall 2019 issue of Communication: Journalism Education Today Magazine.