The Crow’s Nest — January 4, 2023
Park University Receives $1 Million Grant from MDHEWD
In December, the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development awarded Park University a $999,508 Private MoExcels grant via the American Rescue Plan Act. The grant will fund a project titled 鈥淏oosting State Economic Recovery through Adult Learner Pathways to Careers in Health Care.鈥� The funds will allow the University to scale up its new certified medical assistant program that was recently launched in partnership with North Kansas City (Mo.) Hospital, as well as to support research and development of additional health care pathway programs, outreach and recruitment efforts, student support services, professional and curriculum development, and facilities and equipment.
Separately, Park University and the University鈥檚 McAfee Memorial Library received a $10,000 grant from U.S. Bank to purchase 150 recently published financial literacy e-books. , available to all Park University students, faculty and staff, is pertinent from the perspective as a personal finance consumer, as well as a student using the books for coursework or research.
Parkville Campus Women鈥檚 Volleyball Team Advances to National Quarterfinals
Park University鈥檚 flagship team concluded a successful season at the NAIA National Championships in Sioux City, Iowa, in early December. The No. 13 Pirates, 29-6 on the year, won their opening round match and two pool play matches, including an upset of No. 4 Concordia University (Neb.), before losing to No. 5 Corban University (Ore.) 鈥� the eventual national runner-up 鈥� in the national quarterfinals. For recaps of 笔补谤办鈥檚 matches in the national tourney, visit .
笔补谤办鈥檚 team also advanced to the national tournament, but bowed out in the opening round to No. 17 Marian University (Ind.), a team that also played in the national quarterfinals. The Buccaneers went 24-11 on the season. Read a recap at .
Hensley Earns All-American, Midwest Region Player of the Year Honors
Malaina Hensley, senior outside hitter, was named a first team All-American by the NAIA and as a first team NAIA-American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American on Dec. 9. In addition, Hensley was selected as the NAIA-AVCA Midwest Region Player of the Year. Hensley averaged 3.04 kills and 3.48 digs per set during the season. It was the sixth time in the last seven years (and third straight year) that a Park player earned the NAIA-AVCA Player of the Year honor.
Hensley was joined on the All-Midwest Region team by sophomores Jullia Alvarez, setter, and Debora Bernardi, opposite hitter. In addition, Bernardi was selected as a third team All-American by both organizations, while Alvarez an honorable mention pick for both.
graduate student Makenna Busse, middle blocker, was named to the NAIA-AVCA All-Southwest Region team.
Benny Lee Appointed to 笔补谤办鈥檚 Board of Trustees
Park University鈥檚 Board of Trustees has elected Kansas City area businessman and entrepreneur Benny Lee to serve a term on the board through June 30, 2025. Lee is no stranger to 笔补谤办鈥檚 Board of Trustees as he served on the board for nine years from May 2003 through June 2012, including three years (2007-10) as its treasurer. In addition, he was instrumental in helping start 笔补谤办鈥檚 in 2003. Read more about Lee at park.edu/news/benny-lee.
Photography Exhibit by Former Adjunct Instructor Featured in Campanella Gallery
An exhibit of photography by William Eickhorst, Ed.D., a former adjunct instructor of fine/visual art at Park University, will be featured in the Campanella Gallery beginning Monday, Jan. 9, through Friday, Feb. 24. Admission to the Gallery, located within Norrington Center on the University鈥檚 flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus, is free. A reception for Eickhorst will be held on Sunday, Jan. 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Gallery.
Eickhorst said that since his retirement from full-time teaching in 2006, he has been able to devote considerably more time to photography. In his artist statement, he said, 鈥淎s you wander through the exhibit, it is clearly evident that I do not have a distinct personal style or a favorite genre. I find the pursuit of a 鈥榙istinctive鈥� style to be a self-imposed restriction and I prefer to work with many different photographic categories, especially wildlife, landscape, nature and fine arts types of imagery. Sometimes the initial capture is the finished product, other times it becomes a starting point for post-production explorations.鈥�
The Campanella Gallery, directed by Andrea Lee., Ph.D., associate professor of art and design, is open during .
Busy January, February for International Center for Music
Park University鈥檚 will host four concerts in a span of five weeks in January and February as part of its 2022-23 season schedule:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Thursday, Jan. 19 鈥� ICM String Studios, featuring ICM cello, violin and viola students, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Thursday, Feb. 9 鈥� Violinist Ben Sayevich and pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Friday, Feb. 17 鈥� ICM Orchestra with guest conductor Suzanna Pavlovsky, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Friday, Feb. 24 鈥� Pianist Claudio Martinez Mehner, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building
Admission to the Feb. 17 concert is free. Admission to the concerts at the 1900 Building is $30 for adults and $10 for students with I.D. For complete information on these and other upcoming concerts, visit .
Faculty, Staff, Student News
Park University鈥檚 Office of Strategic Communications was honored by the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America as its 2022 PR Team of the Year on Dec. 9. The award recognizes public relations and/or communications teams for its achievements. This was the first time in the GKC-PRSA鈥檚 history that a higher education team was honored. The office, which is led by Erik Bergrud, chief strategic communications officer, also includes Brad Biles, director of communications and public relations; Damian Gonzalez, digital storytelling coordinator; and Felipe Chagas, graduate assistant.
Adrian James, Ph.D., associate dean of Park University鈥檚 College of Management and associate professor of management, was elected to the board of directors for the Platte County (Mo.) Economic Development Council.
Park in the News
Colton Peavler, a Park University student pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administration degree, was recognized as part of the University鈥檚 Salute to Scholars program during the Kansas City Chiefs game on Nov. 13. A .
Park University鈥檚 , being conducted by the University鈥檚 , was highlighted in a . The article was related to work being done by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock鈥檚 Sequoyah National Research Center, which is partnering with the Robb Centre to research Native American soldiers who may have been denied the Medal of Honor in World War I due to race.
Matt Harris, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, was interviewed for a focused on Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley saying he currently is not interested in running for president.
Harris also authored an related to Democrats narrowly controlling the U.S. Senate and Republicans the U.S. House of Representatives.
Adrian James, Ph.D., associate dean of Park University鈥檚 College of Management and associate professor of management, participated in a to discuss her background and the four years she spent living in Qatar.
Staci Balcaen, adjunct instructor of communication arts, and Josey Jenkins, director of Park University鈥檚 F.E. Warren Air Force Base (Wyo.) Campus, were both named to the in December, which celebrates young people who are shaping the future of Wyoming.
Madison Chappell, a junior guard on the Park University team, was .
A story about Jakib Jones, 鈥�22, a former member of the Park University team, was . Jones was drafted by the Kansas City Comets in the third round of the Major Arena Soccer League鈥檚 inaugural college draft earlier in the month.
Matheus Teles, 鈥�21, (in print on Jan. 1) on the passing of soccer legend Pel茅. Teles was born in Santos, Brazil, where Pel茅 began his career.
ECCO Select, led by Jeanette Prenger, 鈥�09, president and founder, and immediate past chair of Park University鈥檚 Board of Trustees, was ranked No. 4 on 滨苍驳谤补尘鈥檚 (a Kansas City business magazine) list of the top area minority-owned businesses, and No. 7 on 滨苍驳谤补尘鈥檚 list of top area women-owned businesses, both based on 2021 gross revenue, in the November issue.
In addition, Prenger and her husband, Kevin, were that highlighted couples who chose each other as business partners.
Park University was ranked by Intelligent.com in a number of categories for 2023, including the following top 10 national rankings:
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Logistics Degree Programs, No. 4, and mentioned as having the best online program
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Most Affordable Online Bachelor鈥檚 in Psychology, No. 6, and mention as the best private institution
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 in Internet Marketing, No. 6, and mentioned as having the best synchronous program
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Associate in Computer Science, No. 7, and mentioned as having the best concentration options
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Best Online Bachelor鈥檚 in Public Administration, No. 8, and mentioned as having the best grad school preparation
Upcoming Events
(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 9 鈥� Spring Semester / Spring I Term Begins
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 9-February 24 鈥� Dr. William Eickhorst Photography Exhibit, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center) (Reception: January 15, 2-4 p.m.)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 16 鈥� Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday (all University offices closed nationwide; Parkville [Mo.] and Gilbert [Ariz.] daytime classes canceled; Spring I classes held as scheduled)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� January 19 鈥� , 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 9 鈥� , 7:30 p.m. 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 17 鈥� , 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 20 鈥� President鈥檚 Day Holiday (all University offices closed nationwide; Parkville [Mo.] and Gilbert [Ariz.] daytime classes canceled; Spring I classes held as scheduled)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 24 鈥� Board of Trustees聽Meeting, Parkville Campus
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� February 24 鈥� , 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.