Our spring semester is filled with celebrations. The KSTC Ballroom in the Memorial Union was filled with Kansas Masons and university supporters on Friday, March 25, when we announced the largest gift in Emporia State’s history — a 10-year, $4-million gift from the Kansas Masonic Foundation to establish the Kansas Masonic Literacy Center in The Teachers College. The KMLC will promote literacy development of Kansans of all ages. For more: http://bit.ly/1TufNUR For photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHskxcy2JZ
We cut the ribbon on our new master’s program in forensic science with a special presentation and open house. The program launched last fall with 17 students in the first cohort. Directors of four of the crime labs in Kansas attended the event. For more: http://bit.ly/1RYdKsJ
Thank you to the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and the Memorial Union for sponsoring a Conversation on Careers with Susan Chambers, retired executive vice president and chief human resources office for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and President Allison Garrett. The event brought students, faculty and staff for a casual conversation and questions and answers.
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Junior nursing student Adam Tebben was named president of the National Student Nurses’ Association on Saturday during the 64th annual convention in Orlando, Florida.
Ron Feemster, assistant professor in English, Modern Languages and Journalism, is a finalist in the Education Writers Association’s National Awards for Education Reporting. Ron’s article, “Innovative Math Program Succeeds at American Indian Schools, Before Funding Is Cut,” was published in The Hechinger Report. For a synopsis of the article and judges’ comments: http://bit.ly/1M90FKU
Senior biology student Bekah Lane has been accepted into the Research Internship in Ocean Sciences summer program at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Through the paid, 10-week internship, Bekah will participate in a range of projects offered by the Department of Marina and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers.
On Saturday, junior biochemistry and molecular biology major Christopher Alderman will receive a Great Plains Honors Council Boe Award at the group’s annual conference. He also will present his paper, “The in vitro and in vivo effects of MicroRNA-15a on human malignant melanoma and the newly discovered target gene of microRNA-15a,” during the conference. The Great Plains region includes Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. For more: http://bit.ly/1RUzWkA
The Department of Nursing brought Dr. Patch Adams to Emporia for a day of professional development: “Finding the Joy in Life and Work: A Day with Patch Adams.” Adams presented two sessions and also did rounds at Newman Regional Health in Emporia. The event was co-sponsored by the Charlotte Davis Trust.
Library & Information Management
Dr. James Walther and Dr. Jinxuan Ma have been appointed to serve on the conference research planning committee for the 2017 Association for Library and Information Science Education conference that will be held January 17 through 20 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Admissions
Emporia State continues to host new Hornets and their families at the Hornet Connection enrollment program. Enrollment for Fall 2016 continues through August with nine more Hornet Connection dates. Visit www.emporia.edu/hornetconnection for more details!
Teachers College
Psychology graduate students Amanda Brabec and Kailee Dettmann coordinated a symposium, “Take a Stand Against Bullying” on March 31.
The seven members of the 2016 class of Kansas Master Teachers are being honored today. Colleagues and friends are attending the awards banquet for the Kansas Master Teachers, sponsored by The Teachers College, Bank of America and the Black family of Broken Bow, Oklahoma.
The Teachers College was recently awarded a grant for The Teachers College Special Education Fellows Program from the Kansas Board of Regents. The $84,000 award will fund an intensive, 12-month endorsement program to prepare special educators to work with K-12 students with high incidence disabilities in underserved areas of Kansas.
International Education
The Office of International Education will host the annual International Food Festival on Saturday April 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Webb Hall. This event provides ESU and the Emporia community at large an opportunity to experience foods and cultures from around the world. The event is open to the public.
Dean of International Education, Dr. Gonzalo Bruce, made an official visit to Japanese partner university Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts and renewed contact with Osaka University of Economics and Law.
Emporia State University participated in the EducationUSA African Regional Forum in March 2016. At the event, Dr. Bruce presented in two sessions: “Small, Medium, or Large: What size is right for your student?” and “Jazz Up your Graduate and Undergraduate Applications.” In addition to the forum activities, ESU participated in the student recruiting fair hosted Accra, Ghana.
Throughout the month of April, Emporia State University will be represented in educational fairs in Panama, Paraguay, Colombia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
Alumni Relations
On April 1 and 2, ESU track, field and cross-country alumni returned to campus for a dinner with the current team and the State Farm ESU Relays. Dr. Mark Stanbrough’s two recently published histories of the ESU Track & Field and Cross Country programs were featured during the events. ESU plans to host a full reunion for this group of former athletes during Homecoming 2016.
The Emporia State University Alumni Association and Foundation partnered with Dr. Martín Cuéllar to promote a piano duo concert at Schmitt Music in Overland Park with Dr. Cuéllar’s friend and guest artist Dr. Emilio Lluis-Puebla of Mexico. A reception after the concert was hosted for all attendees.
Business
On March 22, the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge teamed up with the Emporia Chamber of Commerce to host a “speed-consulting” event for the top 20 EEC semifinalist. Students had the opportunity to meet with with eight different Emporia Business owners and ask for expert advice and feedback on their competition submissions.
Students from the business organizations Beta Gamma Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, PBL, and Business Student Ambassadors gathered with FBLA students from Emporia High School and ESU student volunteers too participate in the Food for Students community service project at the Emporia Gazette on March 23. Over 400 bags of food were packed to be distributed to local elementary and secondary students.
On March 24, business students from the Emporia Entrepreneur Challenge special topics class participated in Emporia Main Street’s How It’s Made Tour. Students and ESU reps got a behind-the-scenes pass to the bakery at Country Mart, the Emporia Arts Center and Studio 11. This event offers students the experience of talking with local business owners and seeing the logistics of how they create some of their products.
Athletics
The new playing surface of Jones Field at Welch Stadium will be the site of five home games for the nationally ranked Emporia State football team this fall. The Hornets have advanced to post-season play in three of the last four years, including last season's trip to the regional championship game. For the complete 2016 season schedule: http://bit.ly/1XcFjwJ
People
Dr. Marcia Schulmeister, professor of physical sciences, received the Ruth Schillinger Award on March 25 during the Women’s History Month reception and awards ceremony. At the same event, elementary education major Holly Davis received the Susan B. Anthony Scholarship. The event was sponsored by the Ethnic and Gender Studies program and Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. For more: http://bit.ly/1PQDVtY