Crow's Nest Daily Report - December 6, 2023
Park University News Roundup: December 1, 2023
John Gillette, a 1892 Park University graduate, was recently honoured as the "father of rural sociology" in a feature article in The Forum of Fargo (N.D.) - Moorhead. Gillette, whose book, Rural Sociology, was published in 1913 while he was a professor at the University of North Dakota, was highlighted for his significant contributions to the field.
Melissa Ford has been appointed as the chief advancement officer at Park University, effective December 1. Ford takes over the role from Nathan Marticke, who left the University in late November. In her new position, Ford will be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies, working with the University's Board of Trustees and the Park University International Center for Music Foundation Board.
In sports news, the Parkville Campus women's volleyball team led all Park teams with 15 selections for 2023 Daktronics / NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The team also had three players earn 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association / NAIA Midwest Region first team honours. Railey Druxman, a Gilbert Campus student-athlete, was named to the AVCA/NAIA Southwest Region first team.
Mateus Martins was named the region's Assistant Coach of the Year, while Triumfia Houmbie Fulks, '14, member of Park University's Civic Advisory Council, was announced as a winner of a $50,000 non-dilutive grant as part of Launch KC's competition.
Casey Bradley, '04, was featured in a story that appeared in the Sheboygan (Wis.) Press on November 21, after being appointed as the Sheboygan city administrator on October 21. ECCO Select, led by founder and chief executive officer Jeanette Prenger, '09, was ranked No. 3 on Ingram's list of top minority-owned businesses and No. 5 on Ingram's list of top area women-owned businesses, both based on 2022 gross revenue, in the publication's November issue.
Lynette Jagbandhansingh-Wageman, '59, was featured in a "Sages Over 70" article that appeared in Hawaii Business magazine on November 20. Deborah Ground Buckner, '81, authored a guest commentary in tribute to former Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Richard Berkley (who passed away on November 29) that was published in The Kansas City Star on November 30.
Behzod Abduraimov, Park University International Center for Music artist-in-residence, recorded a 12-minute piano performance that aired on "Performance Today" on WSCL-FM in Salisbury, Md., on November 24. The Park University International Center for Music's 2024 Stanislav and Friends event, set for March 8, 2024 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, was the featured cover photo of The Independent's (Kansas City's journal of society) November 25 edition.
Steve Youngblood, associate professor of communication arts and director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism, was interviewed for a story on the International Journalists' Network website on November 14 on "Advice for Covering the Israel-Hamas War." Tim Westcott, Ph.D., professor of history and associate university archivist, was interviewed for a story on Flatland KC website on November 10 about Park University's connection to the Manhattan Project, subject of the blockbuster movie "Oppenheimer."
Upcoming events at Park University include an art exhibit, Ellen Finley Earhart Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, the end of the fall semester, and Christmas holiday. For more information, please visit Park University's official website.
Park University Rankings
Park University was ranked No. 93 nationally by Military Times on its "Best for Vets 2023 Colleges" list that was published on November 6. Park also ranked No. 6 in the "Primarily Online" category; No. 14 in the U.S. central region; No. 82 among four-year schools; and No. 88 in general education.
In the realm of education and self-development, Casey Bradley, a 2004 Park University alumnus, has recently been appointed as the Sheboygan city administrator, as reported in the Sheboygan Press on November 21.
On the flip side, sports enthusiasts may be interested to know that the Parkville Campus women's volleyball team was ranked third in the 2023 general news category, with 15 selections for Daktronics / NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
