Spring Commencement May 16-17

Pittsburg State University will hold its 104th spring commencement exercises on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17, in the John Lance Arena of the Weede Physical Education Building. Students in the College of Education and the College of Technology will graduate at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Students in the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Business will graduate at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

The university will honor its Meritorious Achievement Awards winners at the exercises. This year's honorees are David R. Carpenter, president and CEO of North Kansas City Hospital in North Kansas City, Mo; Billie Jo Drake, building principal for Eugene Ware Elementary School in Fort Scott, Kan.; and Jacqueline A. Vietti, president of Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan.

In keeping with tradition, this year's Outstanding Senior Man and Woman award winners will address their fellow students. The Outstanding Senior Man and Woman for 2008 are Nick Dellasega, an accounting and finance major; and Ashley Lopez, a communication major. Both are from Pittsburg.

Commencement activities begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 16, when the Department of Military Science will sponsor a Commissioning Ceremony for graduates who are being commissioned into the U.S. Army. The ceremony will be held in the Veterans Memorial at Rouse and Ford Streets.

The 2008 Commencement Schedule follows. For additional information, including details of specific events, and information about academic regalia, photos, and handicapped accessibility, please visit
http://www.pittstate.edu/registrar/commencement.html#CommencementInformation
visit the Registrar’s office in 103 Russ Hall or call 620-235-4206.

Friday, May 16
10 a.m. – U.S. Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony, Veterans Memorial on Rouse Street (Rain location: Crimson and Gold Ballroom, Overman Student Center)
6-7 p.m. – President’s Reception for all College of Education and College of Technology graduating students and their families, (Light refreshments served.) tent northwest of Garfield W. Weede Physical Education Building.
6-7 p.m. - Graduates Obtain Name Cards, Garfield W. Weede Physical Education Building
7:15 p.m. - Processional Line-Up
7:30 p.m. - Processional Begins

Saturday, May 17
8:30-9:30 a.m. – President’s Reception for all College of Arts & Sciences and College of Business graduating students and their families, (Light refreshments served.) tent northwest of Garfield W. Weede Physical Education Building.
8:30-9:30 a.m. - Graduates Obtain Name Cards, Garfield W. Weede Physical Education Building
9:45 a.m. - Processional Line-Up
10 a.m. - Processional Begins

Nurse Pinning Ceremony
2 p.m. – Nursing Pinning Ceremony for Nursing Graduates and their guests, Memorial Auditorium.

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Cyclists ride for Nature Reach

The PSU Bicycle Club, in conjunction with Tailwind Cyclists, will host a bicycle fun ride to benefit Pittsburg State University’s Nature Reach Program on Saturday, May 10.

The ride begins at 10 a.m. at Gorilla Village, just east of Carnie Smith Stadium on the PSU campus. The ride will be approximately 10 miles, traveling from the Gorilla Village to the PSU Nature Reach Reserve and then back to the stadium on county roads. When they reach the Nature Reach Reserve, riders can take a tour and refuel with snacks and water.

The entry fee for the ride is $10 and those who register by May 1 will receive a free t-shirt.
Nature Reach is an outreach program of PSU’s Biology Department and is part of the department’s Life Science program.

For more information about Nature Reach, call 620-235-4727 or visit the Nature Reach Web site at http://www.pittstate.edu/biol/nature/index.html.

Interested persons may pick up registration forms for the bicycle ride at Tailwind Cyclists, 16th and Broadway, in Pittsburg, or in Room 328 Heckert-Wells Hall.

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Brass Spectacular returns to Pitt State

Tickets for the 2008 Brass Spectacular drum and bugle corps show at Pittsburg State University go on sale May 1. The show, which features seven of the nation’s top drum and bugle corps, will take place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, in Carnie Smith Stadium.

The Pittsburg show is part of the Drum Corps International (DCI) Summer Music Games tour that concludes with the world championships in Indianapolis, Ind. The corps are made up of musicians between the ages of 14 and 22 from the U.S., Canada and around the world. The corps perform precision marching and formations while playing both original and well-known compositions.

“A drum corps show is the ultimate expression of power and pageantry,” according to Doug Whitten, director of Athletics Bands at Pittsburg State University. “Some people have described drum corps performances as a cross between a Las Vegas show and a symphony orchestra.”

Whitten said that drum corps are similar to marching bands in that they march on a football field and play music, but there are some key differences. A marching band usually provides entertainment at sporting events. In contrast, a drum and bugle corps is the main event. This distinction allows drum corps to strive for more artistic performances, according to Whitten. Instead of performing chants, cheers, and traditional marches, a drum corps is more likely to perform classical music, jazz, or stage a 10-minute Broadway style musical.

Perhaps the biggest difference between a marching band and a drum and bugle corps, Whitten said, is the amount of time a corps invests in perfecting their show.

“It’s not unusual for a corps to rehearse more than 12 hours a day,” Whitten said.

The drum and bugle corps scheduled to compete at PSU on July 23rd are: The Academy, from Tempe, Arizona; the Boston Crusaders, fom Boston, Mass.; the Colt Cadets, from Dubuque, Iowa; the Colts, also from Dubuque, Iowa; the Crossmen, from San Antonio, Texas; the Santa Clara Vanguard, from Santa Clara, Calif.; and the Troopers, from Casper, Wyo.

Tickets for the show range from $10 to $25 and are available through the Pitt State ticket office at www.pittstate.edu/tickets or by phone at 620-235-4796. For more information visit the show’s website at www.pittstate.edu/tickets

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Gifts reflect support for program

Like other technology-hungry programs in the Kansas Technology Center, Pittsburg State University’s Wood Technology program depends on the support of companies across the U.S. and internationally to keep the latest equipment in its labs.

David Miles, associate professor for engineering technology, said that several recent donations reflect the respect that industry has for the Wood Technology Program at PSU.

“Our program is top notch and the industry believes so, too,” said Miles. “We receive tremendous industrial support, especially from the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America and Woodworking Machinery Industry Association, two major woodworking organizations.” The program has also been featured in “Wood Digest Magazine” and more recently in “Woodshop News.”

“These companies want to help the program but also know that our students are future consumers of their products,” Miles said, because graduates of the program often enter mid- to upper-level management positions in which they will have influence over the purchase of equipment.

Over the past year, in-kind gifts included a JumboErg 140 vacuum tube lifter, Dekker vacuum pumps, C.R. Onsrud 3 axis CNC router, an 8’ Buddy wood clamping system, a TigerStop programmable digital stop system and push feed system, and Franklin International adhesives – all valued at more than $45,000.

Manufacturers may make equipment available to the department as a loan, as a gift or as a purchase by discount from partnering companies.

For more information and a complete list of industry partners, contact Miles at 620-235-4942 or jmiles@pittstate.edu.

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Regent shares her own immigrant story

Kansas Regent Janie Perkins greets a student in the PSU College of Education during a campus tour. Escorting Regent Perkins is Dr. Andy Tompkins, dean of the College of Education.

Kansas Regent Janie Perkins talked to students, faculty and staff at Pittsburg State University on Friday, April 25, about the value of diversity and her own experience as an immigrant child in Kansas. She used stories from her childhood to illustrate not only the challenges second-language learners face, but also their successes.

Perkins was the final speaker this semester for the university’s Tilford Lecture Series on diversity.

Perkins said her family came from a small town in Mexico to Garden City, Kan., when she was just 10.

“I was born in a very small village,” Perkins said. “We had no electricity, no plumbing, no schools and no health clinic.”

Because she could not read in either Spanish or English, Perkins was placed in the second grade. It was the beginning of an educational journey marked by teacher after teacher who inspired her.

Perkins told about the nun who first read stories to her.

“I didn’t understand, but she had such a wonderful expression on her face as she read, that I knew it had to be a wonderful story.”

Perkins picked up English rapidly and became a voracious reader.

“From the first time I was able to read the English language,” Perkins said, “I haven’t been able to stop reading.”

After high school and then marriage, Perkins and her husband, Harold, drew up an 11-year plan. Both knew they wanted more education. He had dreams of becoming a doctor. She always wanted to teach. They sold their home in Garden City and moved to Wichita, where both balanced a growing family and school until Harold finished his education to become a family practice physician and Janie earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from Newman University.

When they returned to Garden City, Janie joined the Garden City schools as an elementary teacher and a supplemental programs coordinator. It was then that Perkins began to get involved in community service.

“We come here for the opportunities,” Perkins said of immigrants, “but we also come to give back.”

In her community, Perkins’ community service has included the 25th Judicial District Youth Services, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Salvation Army and the Garden City Chamber of Commerce Multicultural Task Force. She was elected to the Garden City Commission and served at the city’s mayor. In 2005, she was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents.

Perkins’ passion for community service is inspired by a sense of gratitude.

“I’m really grateful to be here in America,” Perkins said, acknowledging that she has experienced difficulties and discrimination at times. “I ask myself, ‘What if my family had not brought me here? What If I hadn’t had the kind of support from friends and family that I’ve had?’”

The PSU Tilford Group, named after former Wichita State University graduate Dan Michael Tilford, was established in May to help foster an understanding of diversity and multicultural issues across the campus community.

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Kanza, Collegio win major awards

PSU's Collegio newspaper and Kanza yearbook won major awards at the annual spring conference of the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press in Wichita.

The 2007 Kanza won the All-Kansas Award among all college yearbooks, the highest award given by the state association. Kristen VanLeeuwen was editor of that yearbook. The Collegio won the Gold Medalist Award among weekly and daily newspapers from public four-year colleges. Doug Graham, a senior communication major from Uniontown, is the current Collegio editor and Greg Grisolano was last year's editor. Also, the Collegio's Web site, CollegiOnline, won a Silver Medalist Award among all college Web sites in the state. Zach Waggoner, freshman from Joplin, Mo., is Web manager.

In addition, staffers of both publications won a total of 72 individual awards for reporting, sports writing, editorials, page design, photography, infographics, reviews, features and other categories covering yearbook and newspaper production.

PSU students who won one or more individual awards in first, second, third or honorable mention are Mark Jansen, a senior from Overland Park, Kan.; Mandy Toepfer, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kan.; Kristen VanLeeuwen, a junior from Girard, Kan.; Doug Graham; Rebecca Bauman, a sophomore from Creve Coeur, Mo; Krystel Pakitsos, a junior from Pittsburg; Salman Alkhulif, a junior from Saudi Arabia; Shiho Itooka, a graduate student from Japan; Patrick Furey, a junior from Overland Park, Kan.; Sho Omiya, a graduate student from Japan; Aaron Anders; Brett Armbruster, a senior from Kansas City, Mo.; Teresa Gawrych, a graduate student from Leavenworth, Kan.; Lisa Norris, a junior from Fort Scott, Kan.; Angie Hine, a graduate student from Erie, Kan.; Greg Grisolano; Curtis Thom, a freshman from Girard, Kan.; Ryan Atkinson, a senior from Columbus, Kan.; Hadyn Barnes, a senior from Freeman, Mo.; Raymond Hillegas, a senior from Olathe, Kan.; Amber Bernard, a senior from Cleveland, Mo.; and Lindy Davidson.

Eight Collegio and Kanza staffers attended the conference, accompanied by Gerard Attoun, adviser, and Amy Bowyer, Collegio advertising and business manager.

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Student broadcasters win awards

Student broadcasters from Pittsburg State University took home 16 awards, including 12 first-place awards at the Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ annual banquet in Wichita.

In recent years the broadcasting program at Pittsburg State has been recognized at both the state and national levels, however Troy Comeau, director of broadcasting, said the quality of student programming continues to improve.

“This is the first time we have received 12 first-place awards,” Comeau said. “Our students are competing in production contests with Kansas University and Kansas State on the state level and even bigger universities on the national level and winning. They should be very proud of the time and effort they put into productions here at Pittsburg State.”

Students from Pittsburg State competed in a variety of broadcasting categories against students from all other colleges and universities in the state of Kansas. In addition to the 12 first-place awards, the students brought home four second-place awards.

In radio production, first place winners were Greg Melching, a senior from Labette County, Kan., for his 30-second commercial “Chanute Rodeo;” Tyler Swezey, a junior from Drexel, Mo., and Trent Kling, a senior from Wichita, Kan., for their sports play-by-play “Pittsburg vs. Independence HS football;” Zoel Lopez, a senior from Labette County, Kan., for his personality air check “Brett Martinez;” Lopez and Andrew Daugherty, a senior from Cherryvale, Kan., for their sports play-by-play “Frontenac vs. St. Mary-Colgan;” Teresa Gawrych, a graduate student from Leavenworth, Kan., for her 30-second commercial “Hot Topic” and Gawrych for her 60-second commercial “Hot Topic.” Gawrych also received a first-place award for her research paper “Fragmented Identity of Female Sports Anchors and Journalists.”

In television production, first-place winners were Jacob Anselmi, a junior from Paola, Kan., for his 30-second public service announcement “Student Association of Broadcasters,” Kristen Livingston, a graduate student from Neodesha, Kan., and Brian Caulkins, a senior from Coffeyville, Kan., for their documentary “The life of Chili;” Jordan Beggs, a senior from Columbus, Kan., and Tim Mobley, a senior from Pleasanton, Kan., for their sports play-by-play “Fall Classic VI;” Tylor Hermanson for his entertainment program “Cognitive Jones;” and Swezey, Kling and Anselmi for their enterprise news package “Scenic SEK-Elk City State Park.”

Second place winners included Tennyson Williams, a senior from Pittsburg, for his station promotion “Pittsburg State Football,” Williams and Pam Peters, a graduate student from Mound City, Kan., for their documentary “Behind the MIAA tournament,” Anselmi, Swezey and Kling for their enterprise news package “Scenic SEK-Oswego” and Kling and Lopez for their sports play-by-play “FHSU vs. Pitt State.”

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Pitt State honors education alumni for achievements

The Pittsburg State University College of Education will honor four educators and an administrator for their distinguished service, excellence, and outstanding efforts at the annual Clyde U. Phillips Awards and Recognition Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, in McCray Recital Hall. Student scholarships will also be awarded as part of the ceremony.

Distinguished Service Award
The Clyde U. Phillips Distinguished Service Award is given to one teacher and one administrator whose careers have been highlighted by significant achievement and excellence in education. This year, the administrator’s award goes to Barbara Albright, principal for Fort Scott Middle School in Fort Scott, Kan. The educator’s award goes to Melinda Messmer, 7th grade reading and social studies teacher for Westridge Middle School in Shawnee Mission, Kan.

Albright has been with the Fort Scott school district for nearly 30 years, beginning her career as a first grade teacher. She has received numerous awards as a teacher and as an administrator, and was most recently recognized with the 2008 Kansas Music Educators Association Honor Administrator award. Her career as an administrator has been highlighted with community involvement, creativity in improving learning skills and environments for students and teachers, as well as her endless efforts to support the arts in the classroom.

Messmer has been with the Shawnee Mission school district since graduating from PSU in 1993. She is active with the National Educators Association and the Kansas Exemplary Education Network. Messmer’s nominator for this award wrote, “Her positive attitude, love of teaching, and love for students are reflected in the outstanding quality of instruction that she displays.”

Outstanding Educator Award
The Outstanding Educator Award goes to persons who have shown, within their first seven years of service, the potential to make significant contributions to education. The 2008 Outstanding Educator Awards go to Amanda Johnson, elementary music teacher for Frank Layden Elementary in Frontenac, Kan.; and Rebecca Turnbull, 7th grade social science teacher for Pittsburg Middle School.

Johnson has been with the Frontenac school district since receiving her BSED in 2000. She is an active member of the Kansas Music Educators Association and the Youth Activities Team at the Keyhole Youth Center of Fort Scott. Johnson’s tenure at Frontenac has been highlighted by the success of her students’ musical programs, including the annual Veteran’s Day ceremony.

Turnbull received her BSED from PSU in 2003. After graduation, she worked for the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center as a youth case worker before returning to Pittsburg in 2005. Turnbull is active with the Kansas National Education Association, Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Turnbull has been described as a “natural educator” with a remarkable “commitment to learning, leadership, and now teaching.”

Excellence in Teaching Award
Additionally, an Excellence in Teaching Award is given each year to a PSU professor. The recipient of this year’s award is Trinity Davis, assistant professor for the PSU Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Davis received her BSED from PSU in 1997. She began her career teaching 1st and 2nd grades in Topeka and Blue Valley school districts as well as the Kansas City, Kan., school district, where she also served as a literacy coach. She has taught at PSU since 2004 and is active with the National Alliance of Black School Educators, International Reading Association, and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. Her nominator wrote, “students recognize her deep appreciation for learning and seek her advice on a number of strategic areas, particularly reading.”

The Clyde U. Phillips awards were established in memory of Clyde U. Phillips, a graduate of Pittsburg State University and a well-known Kansas educator. Phillips, who met his wife, Fern Field Phillips when they were both students at PSU, known then as Kansas State College of Pittsburg, completed his career in education as the superintendent of schools in Hays. In their will, the Phillips bequeathed a sum of money to support the awards.

For more information about the Clyde U. Phillips awards and ceremony, contact the College of Education at 620-235-4518.

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PSU students plan chemistry magic shows for kids

Students in the Pittsburg State University Chemistry Club will demonstrate the magic of chemistry for area youngsters in a series of chemistry magic shows at Pittsburg’s Meadowbrook Mall on Saturday, April 26. In honor of Earth Day, the students have adopted the theme “Chemistry is Life.”

The free shows are planned for 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. They will be held near the north entrance to the mall between the Mall Deli and Bath & Body Works.

The chemistry magic shows are a revival of a longstanding tradition. The students have been staging similar shows on campus for visiting student groups.

The student organizers say putting chemistry into a magic show makes something that might otherwise seem difficult and boring exciting and fun.

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PSU Theater presents "Fuddy Meers"

Pittsburg State University presents David Lindsey-Abaire’s “Fuddy Meers,” a dark comedy, at the PSU Studio Theatre Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4.

“Fuddy Meers” tells the story of Claire, a psychogenic amnesiac, on her journey through an alarmingly, bizarre twenty-four hours. She meets a curious group of characters including a husband she doesn’t remember, her troubled teenage son, a masked man hiding under her bed, her mother who recently had a stroke and has difficulty communicating, an odd man with a sock puppet, and a woman in a cop uniform. During the course of this day, Claire learns how each of these strange characters is connected to her life.

While the play is filled with comedic and absurd situations, director Megan Westhoff says, “Claire is the epitome of all of us. She is on a journey for clarity. As humans, we are all on a search for the meaning to our lives.”

The cast of “Fuddy Meers” features Tarra Detmer, Eric Obert, Ross Stone, Austin Laverty, Susie Lundy, Austin Curtright, and Katie Farrell. Set design is by Deidre Galloway. Costume design is by Lisa Quinteros, and lighting design is by Dan Williams.

The play runs Thursday through Saturday, May 1-3, at 8 p.m. The Sunday, May 4, performance will be at 2 p.m. All performances will be in the PSU Studio Theatre at the corner of Joplin and Cleveland streets. Tickets are $8 for the general public, $6 for faculty/staff, $5 for under 17/over 65, and free to PSU students with a valid PSU photo I.D. Tickets are available through the PSU Ticket Office at in the Overman Student Center, 620-235-4796, and at the PSU Studio Theatre door 30 minutes prior to curtain. Reservations are encouraged.

This play is intended for mature audiences only and contains strong language.

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