The Crow’s Nest — February 3, 2021
海角乱伦社区 Announces Top 10 Stories from 2020
海角乱伦社区 celebrated another historic and noteworthy year in 2020 as the University and its employees garnered national media attention, and earned international, national, and local honors. Park鈥檚 compiled the University鈥檚 biggest stories of the year and asked five members of the University鈥檚 staff to pick their top 10 moments from 2020. The voting was tight as only one of the 21 events/stories on the poll was named on all five ballots and four others appeared on four ballots. 19 of the 21 events/stories were named on at least one ballot.
Here are the top three 海角乱伦社区 stories/events from 2020:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 1.聽 The coronavirus pandemic forces 海角乱伦社区 classes to be held fully online for the second half of the spring semester; Park鈥檚 classes are held in a hybrid format during the fall semester.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 2.聽 海角乱伦社区 holds its first-ever virtual commencement ceremony on Dec. 12; Anthony Melchiorri, a 1990 Park graduate, U.S. military veteran and host, co-creator and co-executive producer of Travel Channel鈥檚 鈥淗otel Impossible鈥� series of shows, was the keynote speaker.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 3.聽 To support concerns of college students considering taking a year off from their current college/university due to health anxieties related to the coronavirus, and as a way to ease the financial concerns of these students, 海角乱伦社区 launched a flat rate tuition initiative in June.
Check out the complete top 10 list at park.edu/news/top-10-stories-2020.
Plans Announced for Virtual All-University Commencement Ceremony
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Office of Academic Affairs has announced that similar to December 2020, the University will host a virtual all-University commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 8, starting at noon (Central time). As part of a recent message sent to students, faculty and staff worldwide, the Office of Academic Affairs stated, 鈥淭hroughout 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 nearly 150-year history, the May Commencement ceremony has signified for generations of students the conclusion of their academic program at Park and the beginning of the next chapter in their life鈥檚 journey. In planning this symbolic event each year, the University has strived to elevate the experience both for students and their families and friends. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic requires us to make adjustments in 2021 for the safety of participants and spectators alike.鈥�
Graduates will have the ability to customize their own slide in the online ceremony. During the December event, students shared quotes, photos and video messages, providing the opportunity to thank those who have provided support. The University has partnered with Herff Jones in collaboration with graduation technology partners StageClip and MarchingOrder to make this virtual event happen. May graduates will receive e-mail messages from the Registrar鈥檚 Office, StageClip and MarchingOrder over the coming weeks with additional information.
100th Anniversary of Tulsa Race Massacre to be the Focus of 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Annual Black History Lecture
A discussion surrounding the events of the (also known as the Tulsa Race Riot) will be the topic addressed during 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 20th annual Spencer Cave Black History Month Lecture on Monday, Feb. 22. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held virtually at starting at 3 p.m. Randy Krehbiel, a staff writer at the Tulsa World, will be the featured guest speaker discussing the events of May 31 and June 1, 1921, considered one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history. According to the , more than 1,000 homes and businesses were destroyed and death estimates ranged from 50 to 300.
In 1999, Krehbiel was appointed to a panel established by the Oklahoma Legislature to investigate the Tulsa events and the aftermath. This began two decades of research and reporting by Krehbiel that became the basis of his book Tulsa 1921: Reporting a Massacre (University of Oklahoma Press), which was published in September 2019 and was named Oklahoma Department of Libraries鈥� Nonfiction Book of the Year and the Oklahoma Historical Society鈥檚 Book of the Year. Read more about the event at park.edu/news/black-history-month-lecture-2021.
Park Campuses Announce 2020 Graduates
海角乱伦社区 announces its 2020 graduates from the following campuses:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� All University December Commencement list
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Fall 2020 Kansas City Area and online across the country not previously announced
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (Ariz.) Campus
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Defense Supply Center Columbus (Ohio) Campus
Park United 鈥� It Starts With Us Campaign
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 has announced its 鈥淧ark United 鈥� It Starts with Us鈥� fundraising campaign to benefit the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center, which is being built on the University鈥檚 Parkville Campus. When completed this fall, the facility will be the new home of the Robert W. Plaster School of Business, the College of Management and the . The fundraising campaign鈥檚 goal of $25,000 will support a collaboration space on the second floor, which will include a custom piece of art recognizing donors of $100 or more.
Goodness for Ethical Leadership Scholarship Available for Park Students
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Austin (Texas) Campus is offering scholarships of up to $1,000 to Park students worldwide. Last summer, the University received $5,000 from RecognizeGood in Austin for work that 14 students at the Austin Campus completed as part of an ethical business research project. The deadline to apply for the Goodness for Ethical Leadership Scholarship is Monday, March 8. The application must include a 500 to 1,000-word essay regarding an encounter experienced that has taught the student about the value of ethics in the workplace. Eligible students must have a 2.75 grade point average or higher, have completed six or more credit hours at Park, be currently enrolled and be in good academic standing. To apply or for questions, contact the Austin Campus at aust@park.edu.
Faculty, Staff, Student News
Patty Ryberg, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of Park鈥檚 Honors Academy, was among a trio of (her talk begins around 37 minutes into the video). The discussion centered on ancient life in Antarctica and the event included a film screening of 鈥淒inosaurs of Antarctica鈥� which Ryberg appears. She also participated in a similar event for the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on Dec. 15, and she spoke at the January 29 virtual meeting of the Parkville (Mo.) Rotary Club discussing what it鈥檚 like for a scientist to participate in making a dinosaur documentary.
Ryberg provided consultation and character inspiration for the graphic novella, The Time Traveling Dino Detectives of Antarctica. The publication is geared to informing children of all ages on what it takes to study in Antarctica and what paleontologists have uncovered about what the ancient environments of the continent were like. Ryberg was consulted to ensure the accuracy of the fossil plants and paleobotany storyline, and some of the character dialogue and scientist appearances have traits of Ryberg.
A paper co-authored by Gregory McLaughlin, D.B.A., adjunct instructor of quality management, and Heidi McLaughlin, D.B.A., adjunct instructor of marketing, was recently published in the Journal of Management and Public Policy. The paper, aims to understand and quantify how individuals perceive the meaning of the word 鈥渋nnovation鈥� and its overall value.
W. Ann Hansbrough, J.D., a member of 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Board of Trustees, was appointed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson as the circuit judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Platte County. She previously served as an associate circuit judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
Park in the News
Chelsea Platt, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, provided comments for a . The story was produced by Lisa McCormick, 鈥�83.
Matt Harris, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on Jan. 4 related to U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley鈥檚 (R-Mo.) efforts to challenge the Electoral College votes. Harris was again interviewed by KMBZ for stories on Jan. 12 related to Hawley鈥檚 political future and the possibility of being formally rebuked.
Harris was also interviewed by .
In addition, earlier on Jan. 7, Harris was interviewed by WDAF-TV in Kansas City for a story related to efforts by Congressional leaders to invoke the 25th Amendment.
On Jan. 8, Harris was again interviewed by in light of a comment made by Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley the day before on Twitter.
Harris was interviewed on January 20 for stories that aired on KSHB-TV and KMBC-TV in Kansas City. The , while the KMBC story was related to how effective Biden鈥檚 call for national unity will be.
An album of recordings performed by pianist Behzod Abduraimov, artist-in-residence, and recently released by Alpha, was selected as one of the best new classical albums for January by Gramophone, stating that the album was of 鈥渄istinguished musicianship, elegance and sheer delight.鈥� Read Gramophone鈥檚 review of the album, 鈥淒ebussy / Chopin / Mussorgsky.鈥�
, who signed a letter of intent with 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus to play , on Jan. 5.
John Hamilton, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of criminal justice administration, was interviewed for a .
Hamilton was also interviewed by at state capitol buildings if Congress were to have President Donald Trump removed from office.
Don Breckon, Ph.D., 海角乱伦社区 president emeritus, .
Simon Mulama, 鈥�06, provided comments for a story that appeared on the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation鈥檚 website on Jan. 7 related to a company wanting to revolutionize soccer in the country at the grassroots level.
Oasha White, 鈥�12, a Kansas City, Mo., police officer, provided comments for a .
Myles Whitehurst, 鈥�15, who is playing basketball for Talleres de Arroyo Seco in Argentina, was . Whitehurst was a member of Park鈥檚 team from 2013-15.
Kay Barnes, senior director of , provided comments for a story titled 鈥淧atrick Mahomes鈥� Untouchable Kansas City Bond鈥� that appeared on TheAthletic.com on Jan. 15.
海角乱伦社区鈥檚 Mackay Hall was (Nos. 4 and 24).
A feature story on .
Sophie Roper, senior business administration and entrepreneurship major, and president of Park鈥檚 Business and Investment Club, was (as well as other television stations across the country) related to Reddit users buying up stocks of struggling companies such as GameStop.
U.S. News and World Report announced its 2021 Best Online Programs rankings on Jan. 26. 海角乱伦社区 received the following national rankings:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs: Park ranked No. 246 (tie); for bachelor鈥檚 programs in business, Park ranked No. 79 (tie)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online MBA Programs: Park ranked No. 201
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Master鈥檚 Business Programs (Non-MBA): Park ranked No. 117
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Master鈥檚 Education Programs: Park ranked No. 183
Other rankings:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Study.com ranked Park No. 5 on its 鈥淏est Online Logistics Bachelor鈥檚 Degrees鈥� list.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� CriminalJusticeDegreeHub.com ranked Park No. 14 on its 鈥淭op 25 Bachelors in Fire Science Degree Programs for 2021鈥� list.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� BachelorsDegreeCenter.org ranked Park No. 14 on its 鈥�25 Best Bachelor鈥檚 in Biology for 2021鈥� list.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� BestMastersPrograms.org ranked Park No. 19 its 鈥�25 Best Online Master鈥檚 in Homeland Security for 2021鈥� list.
Upcoming Events
(All events are Central time)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Through February 26 鈥� Senior Art Students Art Exhibit, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 10 鈥� Concert: Side-By-Side, 7:30 p.m., Virtual
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 12 鈥� Concert: ICM Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Virtual
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 12 鈥� Board of Trustees Meeting, Virtual
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 15 鈥� President鈥檚 Day Holiday (all University offices closed; Parkville/Gilbert daytime classes cancelled; Spring I classes held as scheduled)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 22 鈥� Spencer Cave Black History Month Lecture, 3 p.m., Virtual
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 3 鈥� Concert: Pianist Behzod Abduraimov, 7:30 p.m., Virtual
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 7 鈥� Spring I Term Ends
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 8-14 鈥� Spring Break
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 15 鈥� Spring II Term Begins
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 19 鈥� Concert: ICM Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Virtual
The following events were/are cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other reason as noted:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 30 鈥� El Paso (Texas) Campus / Fort Bliss (Texas) Campus / Holloman Air Force Base (N.M.) Campus Commencement
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 30 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: Pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch (cancelled due to injury)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 13 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: Cellist Daniel Veis and Pianist Helena Veisova, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan. (cancelled due to illness)
Note: When these events are rescheduled (if applicable), they will be updated in the University鈥檚 online calendar. To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.