Wood receives grant for "The Big Read" initiative
Dr. Jane Wood
Jane Wood, Ph.D., associate professor of English and department chair, recently learned that her application for a "The Big Read" grant from the National Endowment for the Arts has been funded. The $20,000 grant is the second Wood has received to conduct The Big Read program. In the fall of 2007, Park University hosted a number of events that celebrated the life of Ernest Hemingway and his book, A Farewell to Arms. The book selection for this fall's The Big Read event will be announced in late June.
The Big Read is an initiative of the NEA designed to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture and bring the transformative power of literature into the lives of its citizens. The Big Read aims to bring the power of reading into the lives of Americans and encourages citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment.
Psychology students collect school supplies for Afghan children
Members of Park University's Psychology Club and the Park chapter of Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology students, collected 200 pounds of school supplies in April and May from faculty, staff and fellow students on the Parkville Campus. The supplies were donated to children in Afghanistan who attend a school that was built with the assistance of a Park Online student who is a sergeant major in the U.S. Army's Special Forces Unit at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. This is the second time in the last 18 months that the Psychology Club and Psi Chi came together to collect donations for these children.
Mary "Krisi" Siedlik, Psychology Club president and May 2009 psychology graduate (in adjacent photo, center), and Samantha Smith, Psychology Club president-elect and senior psychology major (in photo, right), spearheaded the drive with help from Dennis Kerkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and sociology (in photo, left). Thang Le, Psi Chi president and senior psychology major, provided funds for postage.
McVicker presents paper, workshop at international reading conference
Dr. Claudia McVicker
Claudia McVicker, Ph.D., assistant professor of literacy education, presented a research paper and workshop at the International Reading Association's 54th Annual Convention North Central, May 3-7 in Minneapolis. McVicker presented a research paper, "Reader Response and the Preschool Child" and a three-hour workshop for teachers, "Reader Response, Kids and Access to Books: Preparing Young Children to Comprehend Text Using Response-Based Materials and the Newest Children’s Literature!" Participants in the workshop learned about the importance of children's spontaneous responses to literature for the future development of reading comprehension. They also received McVicker's newly published book, Continuum of Response to Literature of Birth-to-5-Year-Olds. In addition, McVicker received the IRA's Educator Travel Award, providing her with a $1,000 stipend to travel to Dublin, Ireland, in September as an invited speaker at the Reading Association of Ireland's annual conference.
Park students earn officer awards at Scott AFB
Two Park University students were recently selected for recognition at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where Park has a campus center. Kirsten Hudkins, a senior majoring in social psychology major in the School for Online Learning, was selected as the 375th Airlift Wing Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for January through March 2009. Ronnie Woods, a sophomore majoring in management/finance through the Malmstrom Air Force Base Campus Center, Mont., was selected as the 375th Airlift Wing Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for the same period. Hudkins and Woods are both members of the 375th Airlift Wing, the host wing at Scott AFB.
Dempsey has articles published in health journal
Holly Dempsey, academic director and adjunct instructor of social psychology at Park University's Holloman Air Force Base Campus Center, N.M., had three articles she wrote or co-authored published recently in the 26th edition of The Health Education Monograph Series. This edition of the journal focused on health education in changing times. The articles are: "Advocacy on the U.S.-Mexico Border: Better Health Through Better Research" (author); "Facilitating Education, Advocacy and Empowerment: Community Health Fairs can Increase Perceived Competence Among Health Education Students" (co-author); and "Health Promotion Through Representational Advocacy: Perceptions of Cervical Cancer and Screening Among Low-Income Hispanic Women on the U.S.-Mexico Border" (co-author).
Park Current reminder: Send us your Mother's Day and Father's Day photos
The May/June issue of The Park Current will be coming soon and wants to honor all Park University mothers and fathers. We’re looking for photos of Park faculty and staff with their children, and/or photos of you with your mom and dad. Please be sure to identify everyone in the photo, as well as include any additional information about the photo and the individuals in the photo. E-mail your submission and photos to advancement@park.edu or fill out the news request form at www.park.edu/webguide/news.html (you will still need to send your photos to the aforementioned e-mail address).
The deadline for submitting items for the next issue of The Park Current has been extended to 4 p.m. (Central time) on Friday, June 26. Remember, The Park Current is also your opportunity to share personal news, announcements and accomplishments with your Park University colleagues, as well as a place to sell, buy or trade items. Please send this information to advancement@park.edu as well. Remember, because of the personal nature of The Park Current, this newsletter is not published to the University's web site and is distributed only via e-mail.
Park In The News
• The London International Piano Competition has posted a two-plus minute clip of Behzod Abduraimov, sophomore pianist in Park University's International Center for Music, who captured the top prize at the prestigious event on April 29. Visit www.lipc.org.uk/ or YouTube to see the clip.
• The Park University Golf Scramble on May 18 was photographed for The Kansas City Star's Online "Community Faces" section. View the photos at the Star's Community Faces web page.
• Park University Board of Trustees member Danny O'Neill was featured as the cover story in The Kansas City Star's "Star Magazine" section on May 17. The feature was a question-and-answer interview with O'Neill about his business, The Roasterie. Read the story on the Star's web site.
• Another Board of Trustees member, Pam Berneking, was interviewed for a Kansas City Business Journal story (May 15 edition) on the banking industry. Berneking is president of the Kansas City region for M&I Bank.
Green tip of the day
If just one passenger per each flight in the world this year packed one pound less luggage, it would save enough fuel to fly a Boeing 737 around the world 474 times. For more information and additional tips to lead a "green life," visit http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife.
Upcoming Events
• Pirate Club Annual Meeting -- May 21, 6-8 p.m., NAIA Headquarters, 1200 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
• Maymester ends -- May 22
• Memorial Day -- May 25 (Parkville Campus closed)
• Summer session begins -- June 1
• Junemester begins -- June 1
• Margaret Shelby Art Exhibit -- June 1-July 10, Campanella Gallery
• Alumni Weekend -- June 25-28, Parkville Campus
• Junemester ends -- June 26
• Independence Day holiday -- July 3 (Parkville Campus closed)
• Parkville Community Band 4th of July Concert -- July 4, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• Julymester begins -- July 6
• Victoria Crowder Payne Art Exhibit -- July 14-August 21, Campanella Gallery
• Victoria Crowder Payne Reception -- July 17, 6:30 p.m., Campanella Gallery
• Summer session ends -- July 24
• Julymester ends -- July 31
Note: To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics, visit www.park.edu/calendar/parkville.html.
© Park University - Imprint News
Tell Us What's New? The Imprint Express is distributed weekly to Park University faculty, staff and students. Its purpose is to share relevant and current news, including announcements about new employees, job promotions and other professional accomplishments.
If you have news to share, please submit it through the Park News submission page, Communication Coordinator, or send the information through campus mail to Box 65.
The Imprint Express is a University-approved Online publication designed to facilitate communication between students, faculty and staff at all Park University Campus Centers. Use of Park University e-mail services provided free of charge to the Park Community constitutes acceptance of University-approved publications distributed as part of those services.