Rivera, coordinator of academic services and diversity for the College of Human Ecology and admissions coordinator of Hispanic recruitment, will be recognized for her achievement at the College of Human Ecology’s spring commencement ceremony in May 2012. The award will be formally presented Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, as part of the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Week.

Tom Giller, community bank president of Commerce Bank, Manhattan, said the recipient of the award receives a plaque and a $2,500 cash award for recognition of their contribution to the success of minority students.

“For 17 years, Commerce Bank and the William T. Kemper Foundation have partnered with Kansas State University to support this award that recognizes service and dedication to minority students,” Giller said. “These outstanding individuals aid in the development of a high-quality education for minority students at K-State.”

Rivera’s interest in multicultural and diverse students stems, in part, from her own background. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, her family immigrated to Dodge City, where she graduated high school before coming to K-State. After earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, she began working in the two roles she currently holds on campus.

“The most rewarding part of my job is working with current and prospective students and their families 365 days a year,” Rivera said. “My daily objective is to provide hope and encouragement to prospective students who may never have considered college as an option. It feels great to finally see them enroll as K-State students. Recruiting, however, is only half of the equation as results can only be obtained when heartfelt commitment is given from our faculty, staff and administrators. It is vitally important to support our students every step of the way in and outside of the classroom.”

In addition to her work in admissions and academic services, Rivera is currently the president of Alianza, a faculty and staff organization that advocates the advancement of minority groups on campus, and adviser to several student groups, including Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Human Ecology Ambassadors, League of United Latin American Citizens and Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization.

Rivera is also in the beginning stages of entering the university’s Ph.D. program in student affairs in higher education.

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Janice Wissman, professor of curriculum and instruction, was honored with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences’ most prestigious national award, the AAFCS’ Distinguished Service Award, at its recent 102nd Annual Conference and Expo in Phoenix, Ariz.

Wissman is the first Kansas member of the association to receive the award, which is given in recognition of exemplary state and national professional service.

She received the College of Human Ecology’s 2010 Distinguished Service award.

Wissman has served as president of two national family and consumer sciences teacher education organizations and was a member of the development panel for national family and consumer sciences standards. At K-State she initiated, developed and coordinated a summer in-service program that has been offered 15 times during the last 20 years and continues to serve as a model for preparing high school food science teachers throughout the country.

Her professional work associated with program development and accreditation extends to all K-12 teacher education programs. In the state of Kansas she served on the statewide committee responsible for the development of Kansas’s teacher licensure standards and chaired the Kansas State Department of Education Program Evaluation Committee that approves and recommends all new and continuing teacher education programs and recommends unit accreditation in the state.

Wissman has served on numerous teacher education accreditation teams in the state, and at the national level has been an invited presenter for the National Association of Council of Teacher Education.

Following graduation from K-State Wissman commenced her professional career as a high school home economics teacher in Anaheim, Calif. She returned to her alma mater where she served as a secondary teacher educator in the College of Education. In 2010 she retired as associate dean of the College of Education and began phased retirement.

She holds a master’s degree from K-State and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Kansas. She has received numerous awards for her professional leadership and service including the national AAFCS Leaders Award, the national Mortar Board Excellence in Advising Award and in 2010 she received the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education’s Carl Perkins Outstanding Service Award and the Kansas State University College of Human Ecology Alumni Award.

Based in the Washington, D.C., area, the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences is the only professional association for family and consumer sciences students and professionals from both multiple practice settings and content areas. For more than 100 years AAFCS has focused its mission on providing leadership and support for professionals whose work assists individuals, families and communities in making more informed decisions about their well-being, relationships and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.

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Monk graduated magna cum laude from K-State in 2010 with degrees in family studies and human services and psychology.

He studied conflict resolution in Ireland and marriage and family therapy education in China. A member of Mortar Board, Phi Kappa Phi and other honor organizations, he is student founder and program coordinator for the K-State Volunteer Center of Manhattan.

He worked with AmeriCorps and the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Team in 2005.

Monk is from Bennington.

Kappa Omicron Nu is represented by more than 115 campus chapters throughout the United States and 150,000 members worldwide. The mission of the organization is empowered leaders through scholarship, research, and leadership.

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Christina Farmer, hotel and restaurant management junior, received a $400 International Programs Study Abroad Scholarship to study in Italy.

Kelley Nelson, public health nutrition senior, will go to Brazil with a $800 International Programs Study Abroad for Brazil.

Jillian Carl, ATID senior, received a $400 International Programs Study Abroad Scholarship to go to Italy.

Rebecca Rogers, ATID senior, will study in England with a $650 International Programs Study Abroad Scholarship.

The scholarships include the International Programs Study Abroad Scholarship, supported by the K-State Student Governing Association, and scholarships endowed by private donors through the Kansas State University Foundation.

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Each was nominated by their professors. They were honored at a pre-graduation ceremony Friday, May 13.

From the Department of Apparel, Textiles and Interior Design:

Dean Moxley presents outstanding senior award to Alexandra Flint

• Caroline Zoe Waggoner, apparel design and production, won first place in the national Little Black Dress design competition and has designed and created costumes for the K-State dance department. She volunteers in the community and is associate technical designer at GTM in Manhattan. She is from Hutchison.
• Alexandra Flint, apparel marketing, interned at Studio PR in New York last summer. She is active in the Apparel Marketing and Design Alliance and Sigma Alpha Lambda where she worked on community service projects. She minored in leadership studies and business. She is from Topeka.
• Yolanda Guyton, interior design, worked with a team of students with the provost to evaluate and redesign her office. She is president of K-State’s Emerging Green Builders and has served as co-chair of the annual ID Student Symposium. She is from Junction City.

From the School of Family Studies and Human Services:

• Lindsey Pacey, communication sciences and disorders, is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Alpha Lambda honor societies. She has worked with Brain Gym at Meadowlark Nursing Home and spent spring break this year on a mission trip to El Salvador. She also built homes with Habitat for Humanity and taught skiing to children at Keystone, Colorado. She is from Beloit.
• Emma Denner, early childhood education, helped plan the K-State Fair Trade Marketplace for four years and was coordinator of the Ten Thousand Villages Marketplace for two. She is a preschool student teacher at Stone House, was in the honors program and studied at Universite’ Jean Monnet in France. She is from Manhattan.
• Kelsie Ball, family studies and human services, was president of the student alumni board and the Human Ecology Council and was a member of Mortar Board, Chimes, Silver Key and Quest honorary societies. Volunteer work includes Relay for Life, Adopt a family, and K-State Proud campaign. She hopes to attend nursing school and specialize in midwifery or geriatrics. She is from Eureka.
• Kelsi Hinz, family studies and human services, has completed a certificate in conflict resolution. She has served as Human Ecology Ambassador, volunteered for Court Appointed Special Advocates and is an intern with Fort Riley Child, Youth and School Services. She has received a scholarship to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and plans to become an attorney-mediator for families. She is from Emporia.
• Mary Cox, personal financial planning, is a peer financial counselor at Powercat Financial Counseling, was active in the Kansas 4-H program and studied Spanish in Ecuador. She received the 4-year Robert J. Dole Public Service and other scholarships. She is from Linwood.

From the Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics:

Dean Moxley presents award to Juan Carlos Mendoza

• Kyleen Krehbiel, dietetics coordinated program, got a B.S. in public health nutrition in 2010. She has a clinical dietetics internship at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, was a dietetics internship with Extension last summer and volunteered with the American Diabetes Association Camp Discovery. She hopes to pursue a career in child nutrition. She is from Wichita.
• Anna Binder, dietetics didactic program, has worked as a fitness and physical therapy technician, intern at American Diabetes Association Camp and dietary aid at Meadowlark Hills Retirement Center. She is a Human Ecology student ambassador and president of Golden Key International Honor Society. She will be a dietetic internship this fall at St. Francis Medical Center in Illinois and hopes to work with log-income mothers and children. She is from Emporia.
• Juan Carlos Mendoza, hotel and restaurant management, received numerous scholarship and spent spring semester studying at the University of Hertfordshire in England. He has been active in the Hospitality Management Society and the National Restaurant Association conference in Chicago. He is from Garden City.
• Bailey Miller, hotel and restaurant management, served as president of the Club Managers Association of American Student chapter when the K-Staters won two major awards. She has interned at country clubs in Milwaukee and Overland Park and studied abroad in Italy, Greece and Turkey. She is from Maple Hill.

From the Department of Human Nutrition:

Anna Zeigler

• Casey Hiller, athletic training, served two years as president of the K-State athletic training student organization and was a mentor to other students. She has worked with athletic trainers in K-State athletics programs and was recognized an outstanding athletic training student in Kansas. She is from Olathe.
• Jennie L. Kutschka is completing three degrees: nutrition, kinesiology and dietetics. She is the recipient of numerous scholarships and has been involved with the Fruit of the Fight Club, student dietetics club and other groups on and off campus. She plans to attend Southern College of Optometry in Memphis after graduation. She is from Salina.
• Brittany Ganzer, nutritional sciences, plans to attend nursing school after graduation. She was patient advocacy chairperson for Up Till Dawn, was a member of the pre-health panel in the college and received a variety of scholarships including KSU Foundation Scholar award. She is from Wichita.
• Anna Zeigler, nutritional sciences, was a Putnam scholar, a Nancy Landon Kassebaum scholar and student leader in numerous campus philanthropic groups. She was co-chair of K-State PROUD and vice president of the student alumni board. She volunteered at Mercy Regional Health Center and Flint Hills Community Clinic. She plans to attend medical school at the University of Kansas. She is from Overland Park.
• Casey McCaw, public health and nutrition, plans to become a physician’s assistant. She is a certified nurse’s aide and has volunteered with the Red Cross Blood Drive and Flint Hills Breadbasket. She is a Putnam scholar and member of Kappa Omicron Nu from Columbia, Mo.

From general human ecology:

Kristin Gleason

• Kristin Gleason, family and consumer sciences education, is a members of several academic honorary societies. She was a summer Extension intern and has accepted a family and consumer sciences teaching position in Kismet-Plains, Kansas. She is from St. John.
• Rebecca Strong, general human ecology, has been an Extension intern at Ft. Riley’s Operation Military Kids, Arm Family Team Building instructor, Cub Scout den leader and Family Readiness group leader. She has received numerous scholarships. Her professional goal is to support military families. She will attend graduate school in Family Studies and Human Services here. She is from Washington State.

The awards, first given in 1999, recognize the significant contributions these seniors made to student life at K-State.

Blackwell, family studies and human services graduate from Hanston, served as K-State Salina student body vice president. She was part of the University Honor Council, K-State Salina Student Governing Association, Student Homecoming Committee and Dean Kuhlman’s Enhancement Committee. She served as a K-State Salina Student Ambassador and was a receptionist in the K-State Salina admissions office.

She also was a Telefund coach; a member of the Sustainability Club and Family Studies and Human Services Interest Group; and was named K-State Salina’s Most Inspirational Student in 2010, student support services’ Student of the Month for March 2010, the Student Governing Association’s Senator of the Year for 2009 and received the 2009 Wildcat Pride Award for Determination.

“I’m now more aware of the importance of setting goals and the steps required to successfully achieve them,” Blackwell said. “I have also realized the importance of defining and developing my own personal leadership style. Although my understanding of this process is still somewhat juvenile, I’m sure that where I am now is the place that I’m meant to grow from, with others around me that both help and hinder, and situations that will both frustrate and liberate. I still have a lot more to learn personally and professionally; my leadership journey has only just begun.” She plans to pursue a master’s degree in organizational leadership at Gonzaga University.

Danielle D. Young, family studies and human services graduate from Ulysses, was president of her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma; was a member of Mortar Board senior honor society; was a campus tour guide, special tours coordinator, tour scheduler and Wildcat Warm-up director for new student services; and was in the Frontier Program.

“My leadership experiences have given me the opportunity to learn more about myself as a leader by working with others and learning from failure as well as successes,” Young said. She plans to pursue a career in special event planning.

Directors and staff members in the Division of Student Life nominated candidates; Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students, made the final selections.

“It’s always a difficult decision to make because K-State has so many remarkable seniors who go out of their way to improve the campus experience for other students,” Bosco said. “But this group’s accomplishments really stand out.”

The team was Amy Boesen, Rachel Ellerbe and Stacy Davis, all seniors. Their project was completed for Interior Design Studio 7  taught by Hyung Chan Kim, assistant professor in ATID, in fall 2010.

In announcing the honor at the competition May 6, juror Beth Harmon-Vaughn, managing director at Gensler Phoenix in Arizona, said the winners had shown well-thought out design process, great use of material, color and overall solution.

Thirteen student teams competed at the event at Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park.

The International Interior Design Association is an international professional networking and educational association with more than 13,000 members from more than 30 chapters around the world.

It is committed to enhancing the quality of life through excellence in interior design and the advancement of interior design through knowledge, value and community. The association’s Mid-America chapter covers Kansas and Missouri and has three City Centers in Kansas City, St. Louis and Wichita.

Joining her on the list is Ruth Douglas Miller, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. They were added to the Ad Astra Kansas Initiative’s list of the state’s top 150 scientists for the organization’s project, “Science in Kansas: 150 Years and Counting.”

The project is part of the yearlong celebration of the Kansas sesquicentennial and is meant to highlight important researchers and innovators throughout the state’s 150-year history.

Douglas Miller and McCullough join other historically noted Kansas researchers like George Washington Carver, Charles H. Sternberg, Clyde Cessna and Clyde Tombaugh.

Scientists included in the Ad Astra project are featured on digital trading cards with their picture and research stats, similar to a sports card. The cards are meant for K-12 students to help teach and emphasize the importance of science and innovation and the role they play in the history and future of Kansas.

Expertise is thermal properties of fabric

McCullough studies the thermal properties of fabrics and the development and evaluation of protective clothing systems and sleeping bags. She has written several standards for the American Society for Testing and Materials.

The most recent is for determining the temperature ratings for cold-weather clothing. This standard provides procedures for measuring the insulation provided by cold-weather clothing with a thermal manikin and a model for predicting the air temperature for comfort. Since McCullough tests clothing for companies such as L. L. Bean, Land’s End and J. C. Penney, consumers are able to compare products based on standardized test information. She also uses the same scientific approach for testing sleeping bags.

McCullough has received several contracts from the U.S. Army to evaluate the effectiveness of personal cooling systems worn under body armor. She has also worked with soldiers from Fort Riley’s 1st Infantry Division to determine which systems have potential for use during military operations in hot desert environments.

“We have unique facilities at Kansas State that enable us to help companies develop and test new textile products,” McCullough said. “We hope these innovations will improve the thermal comfort of consumers.”

McCullough received her bachelor’s from Ohio State University and her master’s and doctorate from the University of Tennessee in textile science.

Douglas Miller harnesses wind, solar power

Douglas Miller’s research focuses on harnessing wind and solar power. Specifically her work studies the best places to build wind turbines and how wind and solar energies can be most efficiently incorporated into the power grid.

“With the second-best wind resource in the U.S., Kansas stands in an excellent position to build a strong renewable energy economy, preserve rural lifestyles and also help preserve the health of our planet for future generations,” she said. “It is most rewarding to be working in the renewable energy field — what the world needs the most.”

Douglas Miller also directs K-State’s Wind Application Center and leads the state’s Wind for Schools program. The program helps K-12 schools across Kansas install small wind turbines in an effort to educate students about wind energy and interest them in careers within the alternative energy field. By the end of 2010, Wind for Schools has placed 14 turbines and installed 13. The program is also working with Colby Community College and Midwest Energy in setting up a new small wind turbine test facility in Colby, which will help identify wind turbine models that perform well in Kansas’ strong winds.

Douglas Miller earned doctoral and master’s degrees at the University of Rochester and her bachelor’s degree at Lafayette College.

More information about the initiative, as well as the trading cards, can be found on the Ad Astra Kansas website.

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Virginia Moxley, dean of the College of Human Ecology, has been honor the 2011 Friends of Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (IDEA) award, created to applaud individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development and/or operation of the program.

“She has been a leader of Great Plains IDEA from its fledgling informal days of colleagues sitting around a table to the present era of numerous programs, widespread impact, formal policies and inclusion of disciplines beyond the human sciences,” said Carol A. Gould, executive director.

Moxley received the award at the spring meeting in Kansas City April 14 and 15.

“There have been numerous times when Dr. Moxley has helped alliance participants figure out how to do things that had never been done and that some said we could not do,” Gould added. “She has vision, she is creative and her passion for higher education strategic alliances is contagious.”

The Great Plains IDEA sponsors multi-institutional academic programs and since its inception in the Great Plains region, it has grown to be a partnership of public research universities that span the nation.

Also receiving a “Friends” award was Thomas H. Gibson, director of eLearning Business Development at Montana State University.

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Selected for membership in Chimes, the junior honorary, from the College of Human Ecology are:

• Miranda Fisher, interior design
• Christina Farmer, hotel and restaurant management
• Torey Berndt, hotel and restaurant and management
• Audrey Holderness, family studies and human services
• Rachel Weber, interior design
• Lauren Koepp, interior design
• Xi Luo, hotel and restaurant management

Those in Human Ecology selected for Silver Key, a sophomore leadership honorary that emphasizes community services:

• Tami Crow, hotel and restaurant management
• Ashley Leckliter, family studies and human services
• Tricia Brensing, communication sciences and disorders
• Julie Perrini, athletic training
• Amanda Privitera, family studies and human services
• Ally Koppes, interior design
• Hillary L’Ecuyer, interior design
• Bethany Roy, family studies and human services
• Kristen Brunkow, gerontology and family studies and human services

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