Park organization begins International Pen Pal Program

Park University's People to People International chapter recently took on a new endeavor, the International Pen Pal Program. Talks began this past spring between Park's Office of International Affairs and Education and instructors from the North Kansas City (Mo.) School District's Students in Academically Gifted Education program. The discussions centered on expanding the successful International Classroom Partnership Program in which Park University international students speak to NKCSD third graders about life in their home countries. Since all third-grade gifted students in the district work on an extensive year-long research project on the country of their choice, it would benefit them to have a pen pal from their selected country. The idea took hold and was implemented in October.

The International Pen Pal Program was opened to all Park University international students on the Parkville Campus and attracted 40 participants. Each Park student has been paired with one or two NKCSD students. The Office of International Affairs and Education received its first batch of letters on December 1 and distributed them to the respective Park pen pals. Park students are currently writing their response letters and they will be sent to the NKCSD students before the end of the year. The program will continue through the Spring 2009 semester and restart with new pen pals in the Fall 2009 semester.


Commencement photo slideshow

A slideshow of photos from Park University's December Commencement ceremony on Dec. 13 is available to view at www.flickr.com/photos/51626936@N00/sets/72157611214379763/show/.

director, are shown with the collected food.

Dr. Carol Getty

Getty co-presents international program workshop in Ukraine

Carol P. Getty, Ph.D., associate professor of

, co-presented a program that compares the U.S. and Ukrainian juvenile justice systems on Dec. 2 in Ukraine. Getty is teaching at Kharkiv (Ukraine) National University of Internal Affairs as a Fulbright Scholar this semester. As a part of the program, Getty analyzed student papers and suggested solutions on the problems students presented based on her experiences.

In addition, she has been reading, rating and ranking applications from Ukrainian students who hope to participate in the 2009 Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program and attend a U.S. university's master's program in public policy. Getty was also recently invited to Kiev, Ukraine, by the Fulbright office to interview Ukrainian finalists for the Fulbright Student Program.

Roxanne M. Gonzales, Ed.D., associate dean of the College for Distance Learning, and Marthann Schulte, Ph.D., assistant professor of education and coordinator of Online faculty evaluation (right and left, respectively, in adjacent photo), presented a session at the 14th Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning, Nov. 5-7 in Orlando, Fla. The session, "Faculty Perceptions on the Benefits of Instructor Evaluation for Improved Facilitation Online," was comprised of original research from Park University's unique Online instructor evaluation system.

Dr. Michael Eskey

Green tip of the week

Expecting guests during the holidays? Go natural and let nature inspire your holiday centerpiece this year. Collect leaves or pinecones from your backyard to create a fall display. Centerpieces of fruits and vegetables can be eaten later. If flowers are a must, opt for fair-trade, organic bouquets. Better yet, decorate with small potted plants and give them to your guests as gifts. For more information and additional tips to lead a "green life," visit