The Crow’s Nest Newsletter — November 5, 2024

The Crow's Nest Newsletter - November 5, 2024

Parkville Campus Women's Golf Program Earns First-Ever Top 25 Ranking

The Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus women's golfprogram earned its first-ever NAIA Women's Golf Coaches' Top 25 ranking on Oct. 17, coming in at No. 25. Since 2003 when the program began, the team has received votes in various rankings, but never reached the top 25. Led by head coach Martha Linscott, the Pirates won four of five tournaments during the fall season and finished fourth at another. At the season opening tournament in mid-September, teammates Micaela Suhl and Anna Korsen finished first and second, respectively. The duo reversed their results a week later (following a playoff) and Suhl added another win in the home Virginia McCoy Fall Invitational in early October.

Industrial Luminary Newspaper Digitized

Park University's Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections has announced that a newspaper co-published by the University's co-founder, George S. Park, is now digitized. The Industrial Luminary was published between 1853 and 1855until the press was thrown into the Missouri River in April 1855. The newspaper was published in the former Missouri Valley Hotel. This digitization project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Park University to Host Annual International Festival on Nov. 22

In celebration of International Education Week, Park University's Office of International Educationwill host its annual International Festival on Friday, Nov. 22. The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the University's flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public. The event begins with information booths and cultural activities from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground before moving to Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel at 7:30 p.m. for a fashion show and cultural performances. Also, Three Trails Taiko, a Kansas City area organization that uses several different types of drums and other instruments to create beautiful and powerful musical compositions that can convey specific moods and tell stories of Japan's rich history and culture, will perform, as will students from the University's International Center for Music.

In addition, an international buffet will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. featuring foods from each continent. The price for the buffet is $16 for the public; Park students and employees on a meal plan can eat free with their Park ID. The International Festival features countries from around the globe, with Park international students representing their native countries and sharing the unique and diverse characteristics of their homeland. Countries scheduled to be represented (as of Oct. 28) include the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. In all, the University boasts more than 500 students from 70 countries.

For more information, or to sign up to host a table or perform at the festival, contact Catherine Geehan, associate director for international education, at [email protected]/ (816) 584-6857.

Park ICM String Studios Students to Perform Concert on Nov. 14

Ten strings students studying in Park University's International Center for Musicwill perform a recital concert on Thursday, Nov. 14, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the 1900 Building in Mission Woods, Kan. The concert will feature performances by students of violinist Ben Sayevich, cellist Daniel Veis and violist Chung-Hoon Peter Chun. The diverse and rich program will showcase a broad spectrum and emotional depth of compositions written for string instruments. The concert will include eight solo performances, a violin duet and the Park Quartet. All of the performances, except for the Park Quartet, will include collaborative pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich. Visit park.edu/news/icm-strings-studio-2024for a list of scheduled performers and repertoire, as well as ticket information.

The next performance in the ICM's 2024-25 seasonwill be Saturday, Dec. 7, as the Park ICM Orchestra will present its holiday concertunder the direction of Steven McDonald, D.M.A., ICM director of orchestral activities. The concert will be held at Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University's flagship Parkville Campus starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Parkville Symphonic Band Begins 30th Season with Concert to Benefit Pirate Pantry

The Parkville (Mo.) Symphonic Band will host a concert of heroic and Halloween music on Sunday, Nov. 10, starting at 3 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University's flagship Parkville Campus. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted for the University's Pirate Pantry.

Faculty, Staff, Student News

Monica Brannon, Ph.D., interim assistant provost for student success and associate professor of sociology, authored an article on "Uranium Mining Remediation, Environmental Assessment and Bureaucratic Violence Environmental Sociology"that was published on Oct. 19 in Environmental Sociology. The article examines two projects and their environmental assessments in the Navajo Nation, and identifies how settler colonialism extends through state decision-making in the push for nuclear power. The analysis of the processes shows how past land dispossession leads to forever environmental, ecological and social damage under the guise of regulatory protection.

John Hamilton, Ph.D. (left), professor emeritus of criminal justice administration,and Tamera Jenkins, Ph.D. (right), assistant professor of criminal justice administration,co-authored the third edition of Community Justice. The book discusses concepts of community within the context of justice policy and programs, and addresses the important relationship between the criminal justice system and the community in the U.S. Taking a bold stance in the criminal justice debate, the book argues that crime management is more effective through the use of informal (as opposed to formal) social control.

Camille Cook, director of library services, and Danielle Theiss, former director of library, academic and career success services, authored the book The Small to Mid-Size Academic Library: Collaborations and Outreachthat was recently published. The book captures how academic library workers at these institutions provide engagement and outreach opportunities for students by partnering with other entities across their campuses.

Yang Sun, Ph.D., dean of the College of Management, co-authored "Telehealth Strategies and Workforce Support in Applied Behavior Analysis Services During a Pandemic"that was published in a recent edition of the International Journal of Logistics Economics and Globalisation. The paper explores operational and organizational response strategies that applied behavior analysis organizations can implement as a means of providing organizational support during a pandemic.

Sun, Alla Adams, Ph.D. (left), associate professor of healthcare administration,and Robert Adu-Gyamfi, graduate student in the Master of Science in Information Systems and Business Analyticsprogram, presented at the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs Region 5 conference in Overland Park, Kan., on Oct. 3. Sun's presentation, "Thoughts on Business Program Innovations in the Age of AI," analyzed trends of business school evolution over the last 50 years and included thoughts on potential directions for business schools to follow to innovate faster. Adams and Adu-Gyamfi presented on "Branding for Global Reach: Promoting MHA Program to Students in Ghana" which examined Park University's Master of Healthcare Administrationprogram branding strategies for prospective students in Ghana.

Park in the News

Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, was interviewed for a few stories that aired on KCTV in Kansas City during the month. On Oct. 1, he provided comments for a story related to the various ballot issues Missouri voters face other than the U.S. presidential election. On Oct. 13, Harris was interviewed for a story related to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker announcing he was starting a political action committee. On Oct. 25, Harris provided comments for a story related to an "unprecedented" number of early voters in Jackson County, Mo.

Harris participated in alive interview on KCUR-FM's "Up To Date" in Kansas City on Oct. 2for a recap and analysis of the vice presidential debate that was held the night before.

Harris was interviewed for a story that appeared in The Kansas City Star on Oct. 7. The article was related to Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe changing his tone on the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Harris authored the article "Trump's Musical Interlude is a Twist on the Long Tradition of Candidates Enlisting Musicians' Support, from Al Jolson to Springsteen to Swift"that was published on The Conversation's website on Oct. 14 and republished in news media outlets around the world.

On Oct. 18, Harris was a panelist on a special "Kansas City Week in Review" program(starts at 22:55) that aired on Kansas City PBS (KCPT-TV). The program focused on state ballot questions in Missouri, such as abortion, sports betting, a casino in the Lake of the Ozarks, as well as a bond election in Kansas City, Kan., schools.

Harris provided comments for stories that aired on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on Oct. 23 related to vague ballot language for Missouri's proposed Amendment 3. On Oct. 29, Harris was interviewed for stories on KMBZ-FM related to political discourse and civility.

Harris was quoted for a story on Midwest voters electing Republican leaders, but not agreeing with the laws they passed. The article was published on Oct. 28 by Midwest Newsroom, a partnership between National Public Radio and member stations, including KCUR-FM in Kansas City, Iowa Public Radio, Nebraska Public Media and St. Louis Public Radio.

Harris was interviewed for stories that aired on WDAF-TV in Kansas City on Oct. 29 related to Missouri's proposed Amendment 3.

Harris and Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., senior director for strategic initiatives and communications, and special assistant to the president (and also holds the title of associate professor of political science), were featured on WDAF-TV on Oct. 30 as the two presented a discussion on "The 2024 U.S. General Election: Public Policy Implications in January 2025"that same evening on the Parkville (Mo.) Campus.

Harris provided comments for a story titled "Opponents Use Parental Rights and Anti-Trans Messages to Fight Abortion Ballot Measures"that was authored by the Associated Press on Oct. 31 and appeared in more than 300 news media outlets across the country.

A story about Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, '89, retiring as the director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and the commander of Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network, two of the U.S. Department of Defense's most critical network, communications and information technology support agencies, was published in SIGNAL, a publication of Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International, on Oct. 3.

A story about David Jackson, '02, being appointed as the chief of police in Englewood, Colo., appeared on the Colorado Community Media website on Oct. 4. Jackson will begin his duties on Nov. 12.

Brittanie Propes, '13, who serves as the parks and recreation director for the city of Parkville, Mo., was featured in the Mid-Continent Public Library's "Nice to Meet You" series on Oct. 8.

Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, provided comments for a story that was published in The Kansas City Star on Oct. 11 related to Platte County, Mo., town hall event that discussed a potential sales tax that would fund mental health services for children and teens in the county.

A story about Joshua Lewis, '14, and his Updown Nightlife app being acquired by BarGlance in a $5 million deal, appeared on the Startland News website on Oct. 17. Lewis, who launched the app in 2016, also co-founded Kin Seltzer, the first Black-owned seltzer in the Kansas City region, in 2023.

Susan Keim, Ph.D., associate professor of public administration, was interviewed for stories that aired on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on Oct. 23-24related to tension between the Unified Government of Wyandotte County (Kan.) / Kansas City, Kan., and the Board of Public Utilities due to confusion of "pilot" (payment in lieu of taxes) fees.

Jose Madrid, a Park University graduate student pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administrationdegree, was named to the Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune's "20 Under 40" list in October. Madrid is the marketing and communications director at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital in Larned, Kan.

Park University's International Center for Musicwas highlighted in the October edition of Kansas City magazine. ICM artistic director Stanislav Ioudenitch was interviewed for the article.

Park University was well-represented in the September issue of Ingram's, a Kansas City business magazine, as part of the Ingram's 250, a list of the most powerful business leaders in Greater Kansas City. Among those selected were: Mitzi Cardenas, executive chief administrative officer at University Health and member of Park's Board of Trustees; Matt Malott, '01, chief executive officer at Multivac USA; Jeanette Prenger, '09, founder and chief executive officer of ECCO Select, and past chair of Park's Board of Trustees; and Brad Skinner, '99, president/CEO of Milbank Manufacturing.

SmartyPal.com ranked Park University No. 19 on its "30 Best Online Healthcare Management Degree Programs" list.

Upcoming Events

(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
• November 10 - Parkville Symphonic Band Concert, 3 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• November 11 - Veteran's Day Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed; Parkville and Gilbert daytime classes cancelled; Fall II classes held as scheduled)
• November 14 - International Center for Music Concert: ICM Strings Studios, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
• November 22 - International Festival, 5-7 p.m. Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground (Park Avenue); 7:30-9 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• November 28-December 1 - Thanksgiving Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed; Parkville and Gilbert daytime classes cancelled; Fall II classes held as scheduled)
• December 1-8 - Final Exam Week
• December 6 - Board of TrusteesMeeting, Parkville Campus
• December 6 - Ellen Finley Earhart Department of NursingPinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• December 6 - International Sash Ceremony, 5 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• December 7 - International Center for Music Concert: Park ICM Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• December 8 - Fall Semester / Fall II Term Ends
• December 24-25 - Christmas Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed)
• December 26-31 - Park University holiday (all University offices nationwide closed)
• January 1 - New Year's Day Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed)

To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.

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