The Crow’s Nest — February 4, 2026
海角乱伦社区 Announces Competitive Academic Scholarship Winners for 2026
海角乱伦社区 has announced the recipients of competitive academic scholarships for the start of the 2026-27 academic year. These scholarships, which totals more than $1.88 million, have been awarded to current high school seniors who are expected to enroll at Park starting with the Fall 2026 semester.
The most prestigious 海角乱伦社区 academic scholarship given is the Presidential Honors Scholarship. This award, traditionally given to two incoming freshmen, covers full tuition, fees, and room and board for four years, as well as a $5,000 stipend for a study abroad experience. The award is valued at more than $117,000. The 2026 Presidential Honors Scholarship has been presented to Tessa Stoner (left), Kansas City, Kan. (attends Turner High School), and Danyale Zheng (right), North Platte, Neb. (attends St. Patrick High School). View the entire list of competitive academic scholarship awardees at park.edu/news/competitive-academic-scholarships-2026.
Promotions Announced for Burkhalter and Bower
海角乱伦社区 announces the promotion of Paul Burkhalter (left) to the role of director of campus safety, effective Jan. 18, and the promotion of John Bower (right) to the role of senior director of facilities and operations, effective Dec. 1, 2025.
Burkhalter has been with Park as a campus safety officer since July 2020. Prior to coming to Park, Burkhalter had a 25陆-year career with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Bower joined 海角乱伦社区 in August 2017 as manager of facilities maintenance and grounds, a role he served in until his recent promotion. Read more about both at park.edu/news/burkhalter-bower-promoted.
Parkville Campus Athletics Hosting 4th Annual Arrr & Arrr Event on Feb. 21
Arrr & Arrr, an event that provides 海角乱伦社区鈥檚 an opportunity to showcase its programs and celebrate National Women and Girls in Sport Month, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Breckon Sports Center on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville Campus. The 4th annual event, which celebrates Park athletics, its student-athletes and the impact of sport within the community, is being held in conjunction with the Pirates and games against Missouri Baptist University (women鈥檚 game at 3 p.m. / men鈥檚 game at 5 p.m.), with a special reception held at halftime of the women鈥檚 game (approximately 3:30 -3:45 p.m.).
Patrycia Kozak, senior sport and exercise science major who earned first team Heart of America Athletic Conference honors in the fall, Emma Perry, who graduated in December 2025 with a Bachelor of Nursing degree, was a member of the women鈥檚 basketball program and was a participant in the American Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program in summer 2024, and Krishna Lee, general manager of the Kansas City Glory women鈥檚 football team and 2022 captain of the U.S. Women鈥檚 Tackle Football Team, will be recognized and speak during the reception. For more information, including registration for the event, visit .
Park ICM Orchestra to Perform Annual Valentine鈥檚 Concert on Feb. 6
The 海角乱伦社区 Orchestra will highlight the many moods of dance music with its annual Valentine鈥檚 concert on Friday, Feb. 6, starting at 7:30 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville Campus. The concert will feature as the guest conductor. Praised for his 鈥渟ensitive and nuanced鈥� musicianship and for delivering performances 鈥渨ith admirable sweep and tension,鈥� Ciabatti is a dynamic and versatile conductor with a multifaceted career. Admission to the concert is free, but . For more information about Ciabatti and the concert, visit park.edu/news/icm-orchestra-valentines-concert-2026.
Park in the News
Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, participated in a taped extended interview on KMBZ-FM on Jan. 7 to discuss the Missouri legislature鈥檚 special session.
Harris was interviewed for a stories that aired on and related to a proposed ordinance in Jackson County, Mo., that would ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks and hiding their identities while on duty.
Also on Jan. 11, Harris was interviewed for a in Kansas City related to area Iranian Americans holding a rally in solidarity with protesters in Iran.
Harris participated in a in Kansas City on Jan. 14 to talk about a possible U.S. military strike against Iran.
Harris was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on Jan. 15 related to the Missouri state budget and Gov. Mike Kehoe鈥檚 proposed tax agenda.
On Jan. 16, Harris was interviewed by and the for stories asking if Kansas City officials could block a federal immigration detention center inside the city limits. On Jan. 19, Harris was interviewed for stories that and KMBZ-FM in Kansas City as the Kansas City, Mo., City Council passed a moratorium blocking detention facilities not owned or operated by the city.
Harris provided comments for a story that was related to how Republicans in Kansas and Missouri are framing gun rights in the wake of the Alex Pretti shooting.
Terry Lovelace, 鈥�79, was related to an extraterrestrial experience he claims to have encountered in 1977.
Shawn Gorrell, 鈥�95, MBA 鈥�18, MA 鈥�24, authored an about why he chose to earn a Master of Arts degree in industrial and organizational psychology.
Melissa Ferrer Civil, ME 鈥�20, who was appointed as the first poet laureate in Kansas City, Mo., in February 2024, was .
Violinist Ben Sayevich and pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, 海角乱伦社区 , appeared in advance of their concert on Jan. 23.
Crystal Ellison, 鈥�12, was . Ellison, a senior litigation attorney with Allstate insurance and a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, as well as founder/chief executive officer of Serenity Infinity Books, authored, Aubri鈥檚 Story: Rising Above Bullying, a children鈥檚 book aimed at helping young readers build resilience, self-worth and empathy. According to the article, Ellison wrote the book inspired by her daughter鈥檚 journey and her own childhood. When Ellison was young, bullying was often dismissed as a childhood rite of passage. Later in life, she watched her daughter face similar insults and emotional harm, underscoring how little had changed in the way bullying is addressed in schools and communities.
Jeanette Prenger, 鈥�09 (and former 海角乱伦社区 Board of Trustees chair), and ECCO Select, the company Prenger founded and serves as chief executive officer, was in the publication鈥檚 December 2025 edition. Prenger also participated in an 滨苍驳谤补尘鈥檚 that appeared in the same edition.
The Kansas City Business Journal, on Jan. 23, ranked 海角乱伦社区 No. 5 on its list of the region鈥檚 largest colleges and universities, ranked by Fall 2025 enrollment, and No. 5 on its list of Master of Business Administration degree programs in the region, ranked by Fall 2025 MBA enrollment.
Upcoming Events
(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Through Feb. 13 鈥� Interior Design Student Exhibit, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 6 鈥� International Center for Music Concert: ICM Orchestra with Guest Conductor Filippo Ciabatti, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 16 鈥� President鈥檚 Day Holiday (all 海角乱伦社区 offices nationwide closed; Parkville [Mo.] and Gilbert [Ariz.] campuses daytime classes cancelled; Spring I term classes held as scheduled)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 21 鈥� , 3 p.m., Breckon Sports Center
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 8 鈥� Spring I Term Ends
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 9-15 鈥� Spring Recess
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� March 16 鈥� Spring II Term Classes Begin
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� , 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 24 鈥� : 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.
To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.