The Crow’s Nest Newsletter — April 7, 2025
Dr. Paul Orscheln Appointed Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services
Paul Orscheln, Ed.D., was appointed to the role of vice president of enrollment and student services at 海角乱伦社区, effective March 3. As VPESS, Orscheln will provide strategic and operational leadership to a department that includes enrollment and student services, international student admissions and services, student financial services, marketing, campus center operations and athletics. His main responsibilities will be directing recruitment efforts according to the University鈥檚 strategic direction and mission; working closely with colleagues on overarching University policies and procedures, including institutional financial strategy and the student educational cycle from enrollment through graduation; and addressing issues of access, affordability, college readiness and the K-16 pipeline, and student success.
Orscheln was selected as VPESS for his proven track record in enrollment strategy, student success and institutional growth. He brings 26 years of experience in student success and enrollment, with the last 13 years at the executive level. Prior to joining Park, Orscheln served as vice president of enrollment services and student affairs at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., since October 2019. Read more about Orscheln at park.edu/news/paul-orscheln.
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Giving Day Set for April 30-May 1
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 will be held between noon (Central time) on Wednesday, April 30, and noon (Central time) on Thursday, May 1. Giving Day is an opportunity for the University community to show pride and gratitude for the impact Park has on each of us, in our communities and around the world. You can make a gift of any size to the area(s) you are passionate about. Whether you are an employee, student, alumna/alumnus, parent or friend of Park, you are part of this special community.
As 海角乱伦社区 celebrates its 150th anniversary, the has established a goal of 150 donors on Giving Day. You can support 海角乱伦社区 in the area(s) of the institution that means the most to you. As part of a yearlong recurring donor initiative, consider a monthly gift of $18.75 to reflect Park鈥檚 inaugural year. Your generosity will create lasting change for 海角乱伦社区 students. For more information or to provide a gift on Giving Day, visit .
Park鈥檚 Bookstore Selling 150th Anniversary Items
The has two items on sale celebrating 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 150th anniversary, with a third item available soon. These items can be found at . The items can also be purchased in-person in the Bookstore, located in the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground on Park鈥檚 flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus.
The items for purchase include a short-sleeve T-shirt for $24.98 (sizes S-2XL) and a coffee mug for $16.98. Coming soon will be a men鈥檚 polo for $44.98 (sizes S-2XL). Faculty and staff (by showing Park ID), and alumni who purchase items in the Parkville Campus bookstore are eligible to receive a 10 percent discount.
海角乱伦社区 Signs Agreement with KU鈥檚 ROTC Program
On March 5, 海角乱伦社区 President Shane Smeed and Lt. Col. Calvin Taetzsch, department chair and professor of military science at the University of Kansas, signed an agreement for KU to provide ROTC instruction and training to qualified students at Park. The agreement is part of the U.S. Army鈥檚 Cadet Command realignment efforts which go into effect in Fall 2025. Park will join two other Kansas City area universities as part of after previously being aligned with the Pony Express Battalion.
Registration Deadline Nears for Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium showcases the scholarly and creative work of students from all disciplines and campuses across the University. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit course work or independent research or creative projects developed with a faculty member鈥檚 supervision, either single or collaboratively-authored that take the form of: posters presenting laboratory or other applied research findings; research papers and oral presentations (oral presentations limited to 10 minutes); visual art and graphic design installations; musical presentations; and virtual presentations (slide or video presentations uploaded to Symposium website).
This year鈥檚 Symposium will be held Monday-Tuesday, April 21-22, in Park Avenue (within the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground) and McCoy Meetin鈥� House on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus. For more information or to register (deadline is Friday, April 11), visit park.edu/academics/honors-academy/student-research-creative-arts-symposium or contact Joshua Mugg, Ph.D., director of the Honors Academy and associate professor of philosophy, at jmugg@park.edu.
Park ICM Concert Season Coming to a Close
The 海角乱伦社区 will host its final two concerts of the season in a span of 12 days. The ICM Orchestra鈥檚 season finale performance on Friday, April 25, will feature guest conductor Barbara Yahr, music director of the Greenwich Village Orchestra in New York, as well as ICM graduate student cellist Diyorbek Nortojiev, who will perform a cello concerto. That concert will be held in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville Campus starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information about this concert, visit park.edu/news/icm-orchestra-2025-season-finale. Admission to the concert is free, but attendees are asked to .
The ICM鈥檚 season will come to an end on Wednesday, May 7, as the father-daughter duo of pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch, Park ICM founder and artistic director, and violinist Maria Ioudenitch will perform on Wednesday, May 7, starting at 7:30 p.m. at the 1900 Building in Mission Woods, Kan. This concert is being held in partnership with NAVO. Tickets for this concert are $30 for the general public and $10 for students, and are . For more information about the concert, visit .
Faculty, Staff, Student News
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Board of Trustees approved promotion and/or tenure for the following faculty during its meeting on March 6, effective with the start of the 2025-26 academic year on Aug. 1.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Azin Agah, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of chemistry and approved for tenure
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Sam Chamberlin, Ph.D., promoted to professor of mathematics
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� David Grover, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of English and approved for tenure
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Stacey Kikendall, Ph.D., promoted to professor of English
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Rebecca Kudrna, Ph.D., promoted to professor of sport and exercise science and approved for tenure
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Karman Romero, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor of nursing and approved for tenure
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Michael Swoboda, D.H.Sc., promoted to associate teaching professor of sport and exercise science
Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, was honored by the Parkville (Mo.) Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council on March 1 with the Spark Plug Award during the organization鈥檚 gala event on March 1. The award recognizes a business or person who has shown an extra 鈥渟park of enthusiasm for the community or chamber in the past year.
Lynh Nguyen, senior psychology major, has been accepted into the . This summer, Nguyen will work in the infant cognition lab at the University of Missouri 鈥� Columbia, gaining hands-on research experience in infant cognitive development. This experience will allow Nguyen to refine research skills, engage with leading scholars and contribute to the field of developmental psychology. The NSFREU program will provide Nguyen with a stipend, accommodations, meals and support to present research findings at a conference next year.
Dan Gerber, director of academic retention initiatives, participated in the American Lung Association鈥檚 Fight for Air Climb 鈥� Kansas City on March 2 that took place at One Kansas City Place in Kansas City, Mo, the tallest building in Missouri. Gerber competed in the event鈥檚 Ultimate Climb, a one-hour challenge to climb the building鈥檚 902 stairs as many times as possible. In total, Gerber climbed 5,412 stairs, equivalent to 234 floors. For the official timed contest, Gerber鈥檚 first lap was timed at 8:37, finishing 10th overall and third in his age group.
Eleven 海角乱伦社区 faculty presented sessions at the in Kansas City, Mo., on March 1. Those presenting:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Amber Dailey-Hebert, Ph.D., director of the and professor of organizational leadership and adult learning, 鈥淟earning as the New Competitive Advantage鈥� (keynote address)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Dianna Carmenaty, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice administration, 鈥淎mplifying Learning: The Power of Podcasting as an Auditory Academic Tool鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Nikki Pauls DeSimone, assistant professor of social work, and Leslie Jensby, director of the Bachelor of Social Work program and associate teaching professor of social work, 鈥淭he Impact of Student Learning through Simulation鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Toni-Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing, and Stacy Yeager-Okosi, D.Mgt., associate professor of business analytics, 鈥淪etting the Tone for Engagement and Belonging on Day 1: A Cross Discipline, Multi-Modal Approach鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Brandi Handley, assistant teaching professor of English, Courtney Rilinger, Ph.D., assistant professor of communications, and Alivia Zubrod, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, 鈥淭eaching First Year Students: Connection, Inclusion and Belonging鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Adrian James, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Management and associate professor of management, 鈥淟essons in Leadership and Learning鈥�
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Robert Kao, Ph.D., professor of economics, 鈥淎dopting Digital Intelligence in the Classroom鈥�
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War hosted the 67th annual Missouri Conference on History and the 18th Midwest Regional Meeting of Phi Alpha Theta (National History Honor Society), March 12-14, in Blue Springs, Mo. Timothy Westcott, Ph.D., professor of history, associate university archivist and director of the , was the conference steering committee president and organizer of the conference. He also presented on 鈥淭homas Hart Benton: U.S. Navy Comoufleur鈥� during a session on 鈥淏iography in the Midwest.鈥�
A trio of 海角乱伦社区 faculty presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting in Denver, March 13-14. Dianna Carmenaty, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on 鈥淓xploring Criminal Justice Practitioners鈥� Highest Level of Education and Number of Citizens Complaints鈥� during the session on Police Culture and Organizational Justice: Gender, Education and Accountability.鈥� John Hamilton, Ph.D., professor emeritus of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on 鈥淐ommunity Justice and the KC360 Violence Prevention Project鈥� during the session on Research on Restorative Justice and Violence Prevention and Intervention. Greg Plumb, J.D., professor of criminal justice administration, presented a paper on 鈥淒iversity and Recidivism in Platte County, Missouri, Treatment Courts鈥� during the session on Problem Solving Court. In addition, Plumb chaired a session on Programs and Policies of Special Needs Populations.
海角乱伦社区 was well-represented at the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society鈥檚 annual convention, March 19-22, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Nash Porter (left), senior English major, won a $500 prize in the Common Reader category for his critical essay, 鈥淓xploring the 鈥楴ot-Knowing鈥� in Diaz鈥檚 鈥楢maranth Gates.鈥欌�� According to Stacey Kikendall (right), Ph.D., associate professor of English and chair of the Department of English and Disciplinary Studies, this is the third consecutive year a Park student has won an award at the convention. Other Park presentations: Kaya Barringer, junior English/professional writing major, presented a short story, 鈥淓lizabeth Fisher鈥檚 Day Out鈥�; Haley Wathen, senior English/professional writing major, presented a short story, 鈥淎 Silver Branch鈥�; and Eli Wilhelm, senior English major, presented creative nonfiction, 鈥淎 Cabin I Recall,鈥� and a critical essay, 鈥淲hy Her Brother was an Aztec.鈥� In addition, Kikendall moderated two sessions, 鈥淐reative Nonfiction: Drawing from Childhood鈥� and 鈥淒eep Dives into Natalie Diaz.鈥�
Two 海角乱伦社区 Parkville (Mo.) Campus athletes earned national NAIA weekly honors in March. Senior baseball catcher Ricardo Hernandez was named , hitting .727 (8-for-11) with five home runs, 15 runs batted in and 5 runs scored. He also posted a .813 on-base percentage and 2.182 slugging percentage. For the week of March 17, freshman Rosjai Curtis earned the . In her outdoor track and field debut, Curtis earned two national championship qualifying marks, including an A-standard in the long jump with a leap of 5.90 meters, which is second-best in Park history, and she achieved a B-standard in the triple jump at 11.91 meters.
Park in the News
Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, was a panelist as part of a . The 25-minute segment focused on how the general public is getting more involved in town halls, legislative hearings and the political process since President Donald Trump took office.
That same afternoon, Harris was related to how area shoppers are preparing for increased grocery prices due to tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico.
Harris was , related to President Donald Trump floating a tariff reduction if China agrees to a TikTok deal.
Violinist David Radzynski, 鈥�14, and pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, 海角乱伦社区 director of collaborative piano, .
As part of a series of features for Women鈥檚 History Month, and , were highlighted in separate stories in The Independent, Kansas City鈥檚 journal of society, on March 22.
A story about Symirah Gray, a senior at Poston Butte High School in San Tan Valley, Ariz., signing a letter-of-intent to play , appeared in .
海角乱伦社区 player Raliek Redd was . The article provided distinct and offbeat stories of the oldest non-NCAA Division I college basketball players from the 2024-25 season.
A story about Lupe Valdovino, senior management major, being hired as the grant manager for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County (Kan.) and Kansas City, Kan., .
Susan Keim, Ph.D., associate professor of public administration, was related to a potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Leavenworth, Kan.
students Nikita Korzukhin, cellist, and Ali Mammadoff, pianist, in advance of their recital on March 27.
海角乱伦社区 Parkville (Mo.) Campus senior player Alex Rodriguez was . Rodriguez recently broke the school record for runs scored and at-bats, and is just a few hits shy of breaking the Pirates鈥� record in that category.
Vanessa Pearce, MPA 鈥�12, who serves as the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wichita, Kan., .
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 26 鈥� Art Exhibit: RE: Generation Community Artists, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 16 鈥� Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards, 6 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall); Reception: 7 p.m., Norrington Center
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 21-22 鈥� Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium, Parkville Campus
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 23 鈥� Honors Convocation, 6 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� April 25 鈥� with Guest Conductor Barbara Yahr, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 2 鈥� School of Education Cording Ceremony, 7 p.m., David Theater (Alumni Hall)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 3 鈥� Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. (Arizona time), Delta Hotels by Marriott / Phoenix-Mesa, Mesa, Ariz.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 7 鈥� , 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 9 鈥� Ellen Finley Earhart Department of Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 9 鈥� Graduation Final Walk, 3:30 p.m., Parkville Campus (start at Norrington Center courtyard)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 9 鈥� International Sash Ceremony, 5 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 10 鈥� Kansas City Area Commencement Ceremony, 10 a.m., Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Mo.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 11 鈥� Spring Semester / Spring II Classes End
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 12 鈥� Founders Day: 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 150th Anniversary
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 12 鈥� Maymester Begins
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 12 鈥� Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus Commencement Ceremony, 4 p.m., Warren Theater, Warren AFB
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 16 鈥� Board of Trustees Meeting, Parkville Campus
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 25 鈥� Maymester Ends
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� May 26 鈥� Memorial 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.