海角乱伦社区

The Crow’s Nest — April 6, 2026

海角乱伦社区 Earns 2026-27 Top 10 Military Friendly庐 School Designation

海角乱伦社区 has earned a 2026-27 Military Friendly庐 School designation as a Top 10 school in the 鈥淧rivate, Not Offering Doctorate Degree鈥� category. In addition, Park has also been recognized as a Military Spouse Friendly庐 School. Institutions earning the Military Friendly庐 School designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 3,200 schools participated in the survey. Final ratings were determined by combining an organization鈥檚 survey score, public data and an assessment of the institution鈥檚 ability to meet and exceed thresholds for student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement and support services for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. Read more about the award at park.edu/news/military-friendly-designation-2026.

Hammond Wins NAIA 800-Meter Title; Parkville Campus Men Earn Top 10 Finish

海角乱伦社区 Parkville (Mo.) Campus freshman middle-distance runner Cody Hammond won the men鈥檚 800-meter run at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championship meet in Gainesville, Fla., in early March. Hammond was sitting in sixth place halfway through the race and was in eighth place at the 600-meter mark before turning on the jets and racing past the field, running the final 200 meters in 26.45 seconds to win the race with a time of 1:50.95.

Hammond was also a part of the men鈥檚 4×800-meter relay, along with sophomore Caden Peters, senior Alexander Caines and sophomore Palmer O鈥機onnor, that brought home a second place finish with a time of 7:31.24. The quadruplet had set the school, facility and NAIA record in the preliminaries with a time of 7:29.18, but their time was bested by Marian (Ind.) in the final.

Also earning All-America honors for the Pirates was Caines, who placed seventh in the men鈥檚 600-meter run with a time of 1:18.60 (he broke a school record in the preliminary race with a time of 1:18.23); senior Ahmad Evans, who placed seventh in the men鈥檚 long jump with a leap of 7.34 meters (24 feet, 1 inch); and Peters, who placed eighth in the men鈥檚 mile run with a time of 4:10.97, which set a new school record. On the women鈥檚 side, sophomore Rosjai Curtis placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 11.99 meters (39 feet, 4 inches).

Park鈥檚 men finished the meet with 23 points, good for 10th place, while the women鈥檚 squad finished in a tie for 43rd with five points. Read more about the national meet at .

Parkville Campus Student-Athletes Earn Honors

College Sports Communicators honored four 海角乱伦社区 Parkville (Mo.) Campus men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball student-athletes on March 24 on the CSC Academic All-District Team. Those honored were: G Tristan McRoberts, senior sport and exercise science major; and G Jordan Bianco, graduate student pursuing Master of Business Administration degree, F Marina Perdiguero, senior information and computer science/software development major, and F Alexus Woodard, senior psychology major. The program recognizes the nation鈥檚 top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.

海角乱伦社区 Community Members Honored by Parkville Chamber

Two members of the 海角乱伦社区 family were recognized during the Parkville (Mo.) Area Chamber and Economic Development Council鈥檚 annual gala on March 14 in Riverside, Mo. Brian Mertz (left), a member of Park鈥檚 Board of Trustees, was honored with the PACE-Setter Award, which is presented to a business or individual who sets the tone for the community and the Chamber. The award honors those who lead with energy, initiative and a spark of enthusiasm, going above and beyond through active involvement, forward-thinking practices and meaningful relationships that strengthen the community and PACE. Greg Plumb, J.D. (right), professor of criminal justice administration, was recognized with the Chamber Service Award. The award is presented to a member who exemplifies leadership, service and commitment to PACE. Through involvement in events, committees and fundraising efforts, the awardee demonstrates excellence in supporting the mission and members of PACE. Plumb has been a member of the Chamber board since 2023 and previously served as on the Parkville EDC.

Parkville Campus Men鈥檚 Soccer Program Signs 12-Year-Old Through Team IMPACT

The 海角乱伦社区 program has signed its newest Pirate, 12-year-old Jaxsen Grinter, through a relationship with Team IMPACT. The organization helped form a connection between the soccer team and Jaxsen, a 6th grader at Congress Middle School in Kansas City, Mo. Jaxsen has semilobar holoprosencephaly, but through a relationship with Team IMPACT, which matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved, Jaxsen is now a part of the team. Read more at .

International Center for Music to Conclude 2025-26 Season with a Trio of Concerts

Over the course of three straight Fridays, 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 will host a trio of concerts to conclude its 2025-26 season. On Friday, April 17, the ICM Orchestra will perform its annual spring concert, starting at 7:30 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus. Admission to the concert is free, but . The concert will feature , leading one work for strings and two works for full orchestra. Read more about the concert at park.edu/news/icm-orchestra-spring-2026-concert.

Next up will be a performance by students from the Park ICM鈥檚 string studios 鈥� 鈥檚 violin studio, 鈥� cello studio and 鈥檚 viola studio 鈥� on Friday, April 24, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the 1900 Building in Mission Woods, Kan. Tickets for the concert are $30 for the general public and $10 for students (not including fees), and are . For more information, visit park.edu/news/string-studios-concert-2026.

The season will conclude on Friday, May 1, also at the 1900 Building, as world-renowned pianist and ICM Artist-in-Residence presents a concert at 7:30 p.m. Described by The New York Times as the 鈥渕aster of all he surveys,鈥� Abduraimov鈥檚 captivating performances continue to receive international praise. , with more information at park.edu/news/behzod-abduraimov-concert-2026.

Parkville Athletics Collection Drive

海角乱伦社区鈥檚 is hosting a collection drive in support of its teams and student-athletes to enhance opportunities for growth and development. Items that are collected are purchased by FUNDrive as an eco-friendly fundraiser for nonprofit organizations. Items being collected include various clothing and accessories, household textiles and small goods, and books/media. Boxes can be dropped off at Breckon Sports Center on the Parkville Campus between Monday, April 13, and Friday, May 8, during regular business hours. For questions or more information, contact Nan Rowe, Parkville Campus athletics administrative assistant, at nanette.rowe@park.edu.

Faculty, Staff, Student News

Dmitry Yudin, graduate student pursuing a graduate certificate in , was announced on March 24 as a recipient of a $25,000 Avery Fisher Career Grant, administered by the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. The grant is designed to give professional assistance and recognition to talented instrumentalists and chamber ensembles who are believed to have great potential for major careers in classical music. Video of Yudin鈥檚 (starts at 28:00).

The student-athletes 鈥� Ryan Lea (left), a senior psychology major and a defender on the team, and Lauren Runnion (right), a senior sport and exercise science major and a forward on the team 鈥� with a 2026 Cliff Hamlow Champion of Character Award. The award is given to one male and one female student-athlete on each GSAC campus who demonstrates outstanding athletic achievement, campus and community leadership, future ambition and embraces the five core character values of the NAIA Champions of Character program (respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and servant leadership). Student-athletes must be at least a junior academically and carry a 3.0 overall grade point average.

Jiarui Cheng, sophomore major, was announced as the winner of the 2026 Naftzger Young Artist Award at the 87th annual Naftzger Young Artists Auditions in Wichita, Kan., on March 21. The award came with a $5,000 prize. Cheng is the sixth 海角乱伦社区 International Center for Music student since 2005 to win the top prize.

Sarah Meyer, sophomore communication major, was announced as the winner of the podcasting division at the Pi Kappa Delta (national forensics honorary organization) National Tournament in Springfield, Mo., on March 22. Meyer鈥檚 winning submission was an audio file of a podcast pitch, which included an introduction, sample interview and explanation of the series. The podcast topic was on 鈥渨omen in sports鈥� and she interviewed Melody Alexander, adjunct instructor of communication and The Stylus advisor, who has a sports data business.

Sophomore Adrian Figueroa, outside hitter, was named the . Figueroa totaled 47 kills across eight sets played, hitting .500 for the week as he committed just 10 hitting errors on 74 attacks. Against Missouri Baptist University on March 28, he put down 32 kills.

Brandi Handley, assistant professor of English, authored a that was published in March in the literary journal Cutleaf. The story is about a labor and delivery nurse who makes some questionable decisions to correct what she believes is an injustice in the maternity ward.

Jack MacLennan, senior director for strategic initiatives and communications, and special assistant to the president for governance (who also holds the title of associate professor of political science), presented a discussion on the war in Iran, the history of Iran and U.S./Iran relations to the Northland (Kansas City, Mo.) Democratic Club on March 17.

Emily Sallee, Ph.D., acting provost and professor of English, spoke at a webinar for the Council of Independent Colleges on Feb. 27 related to reduced-credit bachelor鈥檚 degrees. Sallee stressed the importance of mission alignment, faculty collaboration and backward design in her comments.

Park in the News

Jack MacLennan, senior director for strategic initiatives and communications, and special assistant to the president for governance (who also holds the title of associate professor of political science), co-authored the article that appeared on The Conversation website on March 1.

MacLennan also participated in an in-depth interview about the war in Iran and its far-reaching economics effects on KMBC-TV鈥檚 (Kansas City) public affairs program, .

A week later, on March 22, MacLennan appeared as a panelist on KCTV鈥檚 public affairs program, , to discuss the war in Iran and its impacts in the Kansas City region.

MacLennan co-authored an article, that was published in The Conversation on March 25.

Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, participated in a live, 15-minute interview on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City during the (starts at approximately 32:00) as part of a discussion on the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and what may come next.

Harris provided comments for a related to a Missouri lawmaker鈥檚 proposal to repeal the Show Me Sports Investment Act, which offers state funding for up to 50 percent of stadium costs for professional sports teams.

Harris in an extended interview to discuss the midway point of the Missouri legislature鈥檚 general session.

Harris was interviewed for a related to Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Quinton Lucas considering a run for Missouri鈥檚 4th Congressional District seat.

Harris related to how anti-tax voters could affect the Kansas City, Mo., earnings tax vote in April.

On March 27, Harris was related to Missouri 6th District Congressman Sam Graves announcing his retirement ahead of the upcoming midterm election.

A story about , appeared in the Kansas City Star on March 3. Resman died at his home in Olathe, Kan., on March 2.

Kay Barnes, retired 海角乱伦社区 senior director of university engagement, was . Erik Bergrud, MPA 鈥�94, and former Park chief strategic communications officer, provided comments for the article. Barnes, who served as the mayor of Kansas City, Mo., from 1999-2007, was honored with the KCBJ鈥檚 Power Player Award on March 5, as part of its Capstone Real Estate Awards event. The Power Player Award shines a spotlight on people who have had 鈥� and continue to have 鈥� a lasting positive effect on the commercial real estate industry.

David Bouryi, 鈥�21 (who goes by David Bay), was . Bay, a violinist who studied under Ben Sayevich in the , has approximately 3 million followers across his social media channels 鈥� all without a marketing team.

Lucas Sousa, 鈥�16, MBA 鈥�20, a midfielder for the Kansas City Comets in the Major Arena Soccer League, against the San Diego Sockers on March 14.

An , who has announced her retirement effective March 2027 as the president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, appeared in the Kansas City Star on March 20.

Scott Hageman, associate professor of geology, in an extended interview to discuss differences in types of oil, how oil prices are established and what needs to take place to ramp up production of oil.

Kristin Gillette, director of athletics for 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 flagship , was featured in a Women鈥檚 History Month story related to .

Tim Westcott, Ph.D., professor of history, associate university archivist and director of the , provided comments for a (click “Documenting Their Service” at left) about the Sequoyah National Research Center in Little Rock, Ark.

Upcoming Events

(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Through April 10 鈥� Art Exhibit: Faculty Biennial Showcase, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 8-9 鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 8 鈥� Concert: Cellist Diyorbek Nortojiev Graduate Recital, 7 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 10 鈥� F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 2 p.m. (Mountain time), F.E. Warren Base Theater
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 15 鈥� Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards, 6 p.m. David Theater (Alumni Hall)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 17 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: ICM Orchestra with Guest Conductor Jason Seber, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 22 鈥� Honors Convocation 6 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 23 鈥� Concert: Pianist Yangrui Cai Graduate Recital, 7 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 24 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: Ben Sayevich Violin Studio Students / Daniel Veis Cello Studio Students / Chung-Hoon Peter Chun Viola Studio Students, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 29 鈥� Concert: Violinist David Brill Graduate Recital, 7 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 1 鈥� School of Education Cording Ceremony, 7 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 1 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: Pianist Behzod Abduraimov, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 2 鈥� Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m. (Arizona time), Arizona Athletic Grounds, Mesa, Ariz.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 4 鈥� Pirates Choice Awards (), 6 p.m., Olde Mill Emporium, Parkville, Mo.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 6 鈥� Concert: Violinist Yiyuan Zhang Graduate Recital, 7 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 8 鈥� Ellen Finley Earhart Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 8 鈥� Grad Walk, 3:30 p.m., Parkville Campus (begins at Sunderland Promenade, adjacent to Norrington Center)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 8 鈥� International Sash Ceremony, 5 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 9 鈥� Kansas City Area Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m., Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Mo.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 10 鈥� Spring Semester / Spring II Term Ends
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 11 鈥� Maymester Begins
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 24 鈥� Maymester Ends
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 25 鈥� Memorial Day (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.