The Crow's Nest Daily News - June 1, 2020: Latest updates and controversies from around the town and beyond
In the ever-evolving landscape of the coronavirus pandemic, Park University in Kansas City continues to make headlines, with its community members making significant contributions and adapting to new challenges.
On May 26, Susan Keim, assistant professor of public administration, shared her insights on the tough decisions area cities are facing due to the pandemic on KCTV in Kansas City. Meanwhile, Aneisha Ford, a graduate of Park University, has been featured in multiple news stories for her work helping hospitals and patients dealing with the pandemic in New York City.
The University itself has not been immune to the impact of the pandemic. Several events, including the Fine Art Seniors Thesis Exhibition, International Center for Music Concert, Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, International Student Sash Ceremony, and Bell Road Barn Players' productions of "The Foreigner" and "Comedy of Errors" have been cancelled or rescheduled.
However, the spirit of resilience at Park University remains undeterred. Kelsey (Faiferlick) Felch, another graduate, opened Next Edge Performance, a health and wellness center, in her hometown of Fort Dodge, Iowa. The University's Early College Online program was also highlighted on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on May 12.
The University's Civic Engagement Portfolio program continues to offer students the opportunity to earn college credit for community service, with up to nine hours of credit available for those who have demonstrated civic engagement.
Several upcoming events for Park University include the start of Summer Session/Junemester classes on June 8 and the dedication ceremony for the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, which has been rescheduled for September 19. The River Read Children's Literature Festival, scheduled for October 13, has not been cancelled or rescheduled at this time.
Awards and recognitions continue to pour in for Park University's community. Steve Youngblood, associate professor of communication arts and director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism, was awarded the 2020 Luxembourg Peace Prize for Outstanding Peace Journalism. Suzanne Tiemann, Ph.D., assistant professor of education and director of undergraduate programs at Park University, was honoured by the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Virginia Brackett, Ph.D., professor emerita of English at Park University, authored a chapter on "COVID-19 Effects on Higher Education" for the recently published book "After the Pandemic: Visions of Life Post COVID-19". Hayden Lidka signed a letter-of-intent to compete in track and field at Park University's Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus.
Unfortunately, several commencement ceremonies have been cancelled or rescheduled due to the pandemic, including those at Fort Myer (Va.) Campus, Hanscom Air Force Base (Mass.) Campus, Little Rock (Ark.) Air Force Base Campus, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (N.C.) Campus, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (S.C.) Campus, F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus, Luke Air Force Base (Ariz.) Campus, Tinker Air Force Base (Okla.) Campus, Naval Support Activity Mid-South Millington (Tenn.) Campus, Austin (Texas) Campus, Barstow (Calif.) Community College Campus, Victor Valley College (Calif.) Campus, and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point (N.C.) Campus.
Park University has announced its list of Spring 2020 graduates from the University's Kansas City area campuses, Barstow (Calif.) Community College, and Victor Valley College (Calif.) campuses. Destiny Zamudio, an incoming student-athlete on the Parkville Campus women's basketball team, was featured on the Wyandotte (County, Kan.) Daily website on May 26.
Chris Killion, a graduate of Park University, and his wife, Denee, were featured in a story about their work as registered nurses treating patients with coronavirus in Omaha, Nebraska. Shawn Moore, a graduate of Park University's social work program, founded Caregivers on the Homefront in 2017 to support caregivers of veterans and first responders.
Lastly, the search results did not provide specific information regarding the past recipients of the Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards at Park University. For detailed information about past recipients of this award, it is recommended to check directly with Park University’s official website or contact their administration or alumni office. The ceremony for the Luxembourg Peace Prize will now take place in May 2021 due to the pandemic.
Through these challenging times, Park University and its community continue to shine, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and a commitment to service.
In the realm of education-and-self-development, Park University's Early College Online program was highlighted on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on May 12. Additionally, Susan Keim, an assistant professor at Park University, discussed 'lifestyle' impacts due to tough decisions area cities are facing because of the pandemic on KCTV.
