Unveiling at Crow's Nest on April 12, 2019:
Park University in the Spotlight: Men's Volleyball Team Qualifies for Inaugural NAIA Championship
Park University's men's volleyball team has made history, qualifying for the inaugural NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship. The championship will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, from April 16 to April 20.
As the No. 5 seed with a impressive 20-4 record, the team is ready to take on the competition. They will open pool play on Tuesday, April 16, against host No. 4 Grand View University (18-1) at 7 p.m.
If they finish first or second in their pool, they will advance to the tournament semifinals on Friday, April 19. The exact dates, times, opponents, and progression paths for Park University will be announced closer to the event date, as the details for the inaugural championship are yet to be officially released.
Meanwhile, Park University's academic community has also been making waves. Greg Claycomb, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Natural and Physical Sciences, and associate professor of chemistry, presented a poster and a paper at the American Chemical Society's national meeting and expo. Both presentations focused on enhancing the undergraduate chemistry curriculum by creating novel upper-level electives for chemistry majors.
In another development, the team from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Scott Hageman (left), associate dean, and Brian Hoffman Ph.D. (right), professor of biology, presented research as part of a paleontology symposium session. Their presentation was on "Preliminary Analysis of Teeth of the Extinct Requiem Shark Physogaleus contortus (Elasmobranchii: Carcharhiniformes) as Cutting Tools."
Outside of the lab, Park University's Esports Program is hosting KCGameOn Event on April 13. The event will include tournaments for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Apex Legends and other popular video games.
In the literary sphere, Jocelyn Clayton, junior secondary education/English major, presented a short story "Straws" at the Sigma Tau Delta International Convention. Aimee Walton, senior secondary education and English literature major, presented a short story "The Kiss" at the same event. Madelyne Hartleroad, junior English major, presented a critical paper "A Good Prophet is Hard to Find."
Park University's recently redesigned website has been recognized as a Webby Award official honoree in the general website school/university category.
Hailey Raw, a Park University sophomore majoring in U.S. history, won a pair of first place awards from the Public Communication Speech and Debate League Nationals. Brandi Handley, lecturer in English, and Stacey Kikendall, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, moderated two panels on "Southern Gothic" and "Fiction: Finding Themselves in Fiction" at the Sigma Tau Delta International Convention.
In the world of publishing, an article authored by Mohamed Abualhaija, D.B.A., associate professor of accounting, has been published in a recent edition of The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention. Blanche Sosland, Ph.D., professor emerita of education, has also published a book titled Banishing Bullying Behavior: A Call to Action - From Early Childhood Through Senior Adulthood.
Lastly, Brad Kleindl, Ph.D., professor of marketing, was a keynote speaker at the Pearl River Forum on International Education in Foshan, China, on March 22. Shane Smeed, vice president and chief operating officer, was appointed the president of the Platte City (Mo.) Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on March 24.
On Wednesday, April 17, the team will take on No. 1 Missouri Baptist University (26-0) at 4 p.m. The championship match is set for Saturday, April 20, at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3. The exact schedule for pool play matches, potential advancement rounds, and dates related to this specific championship for 2025 will be announced closer to the event date.
Stay tuned for updates on Park University's men's volleyball team's progress in the NAIA championships.
- Discussions surrounding education and self-development at Park University have been equally impressive, with faculty members presenting at general news events such as the American Chemical Society's national meeting and expo, focusing on enhancing undergraduate curriculum with novel electives.
- Meanwhile, sports news, like the victory of Park University's men's volleyball team in qualifying for the inaugural NAIA Men's Volleyball National Championship, has gained widespread attention, with matches to be broadcast on ESPN3.
