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| Jinny McCoy, honorary member and former chair of the Park University Board of Trustees, left, presents a $10,000 check to Claude English, Park director of athletics, and Dr. Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Park president, during a recent Pirate Club meeting. |
Pirate Club makes first gift to Park athletic department
The Pirate Club promotes the rich tradition of Park University and its athletic programs through support, encouragement and development. In addition, it cultivates financial assistance and interest in Park's 13 intercollegiate athletic programs, helping student-athletes achieve academic and athletic success.
Recently, the Pirate Club provided the organization's first gift to the University's athletic department -- $10,000 -- to support the following initiatives:
- $5,000 toward a scholarship fund
- $3,000 toward softball field dugouts
- $2,000 toward an academic support center
Annual membership rates run from $25 ($15 for current students) to $1,000, and lifetime memberships are also available. For more information on the Pirate Club, contact the Office of University Advancement at (816) 584-6200 or advancement@park.edu, or visit www.parkathletics.com/news/dept/pirateclub.shtml.
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| Eric Blair, left, talks to students during a recent tour of the Copley Quad student housing project. |
Work continues on Copley Quad construction
In recent weeks, crews have been completing the roofing of both buildings on the Copley Quad student housing project. In addition, the buildings have been waterproofed, had seams taped and permanent windows put in place. The portal connecting the two buildings is also in the process of being completed.
Inside the buildings, electricians, plumbers, coolant pipers, fire sprinkler installers and duct installers continued work, while wall insulation and drywall has started to go in place in the suites.
On May 13, Eric Blair, assistant dean of student life, and Paul Gault, special assistant for administration and Park University's owner representative for the project, led a number of students on a tour of the buildings. The tour gave students a firsthand look at the layout of their future home.
Kerkman, students to present research projects at convention
Dennis D. Kerkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and sociology, along with psychology student Thang M. Le, will present a research project at the Association for Psychological Science annual convention in Chicago, May 23. The project title is "Americans, Spaniards and Mexicans: Asymmetrical Implicit Attitudes Toward Mexican Mestizos Versus Whites." This is the second consecutive year that Le had his research accepted at the foremost conference for psychological research in the United States.
In addition, Kerkman and Sarah Hopkins, a Park graduate student in the Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership program, will present the results of a research project titled "Domain-Specific Relations Between Student-Athletes Locus of Control and Motivation."
Koudou, grad student co-author articles for presentation
Nicolas Koudou, Ph.D., associate professor of business administration and director of the Master of Business Administration program, along with graduate research assistant Niyamul Haq (a May 2008 graduate), recently co-authored two articles. The first, "Softwood Trade Dispute Between U.S. and Canada: Assessing the Impact of U.S. Softwood Production, Export, Consumption, Import from Others, and PPI on Canadian Softwood Import" was accepted for presentation at the International Academy of Business and Public Administration Disciplines spring conference in Dallas, April 24-27. The article was also selected for publication in the International Journal of Business, Accounting and Finance. In addition, the duo authored "Understanding of Vendors' Marketing Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Construct of Hermetic Marketing."
Park's Alpha Phi Omega chapter hosted hunger banquet
The Park University chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, held a hunger banquet on April 29 in Thompson Commons on the Parkville Campus. More than 60 faculty, staff and students participated. Each of the participants were served a specific type of food and quantity, based upon world percentages in an effort to raise awareness and understanding of hunger and poverty worldwide. The event raised more than $1,000 for CARE USA.
Guest speaker Bonnie Welch, director of development for CARE USA, spoke on hunger and poverty issues, and explained what her organization does to address these issues. The event was organized by Alpha Phi Omega's student executive board members, Chrystal Coltharp, Breena Lawson, Johnna O'Shields, Lyman Rickman and Sara Wingerd.
Sigma Alpha Pi holds student induction ceremony
The Park University chapter of Sigma Alpha Pi, a national society of leadership and success, held its induction ceremony on May 4 on the Parkville Campus. Thirty-nine students were inducted. The Society guides individuals through the process of identifying and committing to focused and dedicated actions that lead to their personal success. Students must complete several peer mentoring and leadership training meetings in order to be inducted.
The event featured a keynote address by Eric Blair, assistant dean of student life. In addition, honorary membership was presented to Emily Martinez, student accounts coordinator in the Student Assistant Center, and Julie Frankland, '07, director of customer service and human resources at Harrah's Kansas City. Excellence in Student Teaching awards were given to Harrison Hartley, senior adjunct instructor of philosophy, literature and speech in Park's Accelerated Program; Hadley Belcher, senior adjunct instructor of business communications; and James Pasley, Ph.D., associate professor of political science.
Students inducted were: Marissa Arevalo-D'Amico, Trevor Arnold, Melanie Bache, Krista Bean, Susan Castro Gautreaux, Amanda Combs, Thomas Coy, Emily Crook, Andrew DeGhelder, Darina Durlova, Amy Fessler, Diane Foster, Jennifer Geeo, Rachel Gordy, Summer Hackett, Shaylee Henning, Roxanne Jensen, Daniel Joseph, Leo Kamugisha, Apryle Knox, Sean Kosednar, Loren Laughlin, Ashley Leach, Gelin Liao, Hannah Matlock, Tewfit Mulatu, Victor C. Panus III, Elizabeth Perry, Kayla Sayler, Chrystal Simon, Jacklyn Sloderbeck, Susan Stechmann, Ashley Stephenson, Christine Tanos, Brittany Thornburg, Chanta Tinney, Allison Vaughn, Georgia Wilhelm and Michael Zimmerman.
Upcoming Events
- Heather Cook senior art exhibit -- through May 18, Campanella Gallery
- Nan Schooling senior art exhibit -- May 20-30, Campanella Gallery (Reception: Saturday, May 24, 4-6 p.m.)
- Ben Sayevich Violin Recital -- May 22, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
- Maymester ends -- May 23
- Pearl Chamberlin senior art exhibit -- May 24-June 21, Northland Neighborhood, Inc., 3015 NE Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Mo. (Reception: Saturday, May 24, 1-4 p.m.)
- Memorial Day -- May 26 (Parkville Campus closed)
- Summer Session begins -- June 2
- Junemester begins -- June 2
- Jessica Wohl art exhibition -- June 2-July 11, Campanella Gallery
- Pirate Academic Camps -- June 8-13, Parkville Campus
- Park Alumni Weekend -- June 19-22, Parkville Campus
- Alumni Association Annual Meeting -- June 21
- Junemester ends -- June 27
- Masoom Khawaja photography exhibit -- July 14-August 28, Campanella Gallery
- Summer Session ends -- July 25
- Julymester ends -- August 1
Note: To view a comprehensive athletics schedule, visit www.parkathletics.com/news/dept/all_events.shtml.
