Source: Candi Hironaka, 785-532-6085, cpitts@k-state.edu

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

LINDA TEENER RECEIVING K-STATE'S SUSAN M. SCOTT COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

MANHATTAN -- Linda Inlow Teener, executive director of UFM Community Learning Center in Manhattan, is the recipient of the 2010 Susan M. Scott Community Leadership Award from Kansas State University's School of Leadership Studies.

"Linda Teener has an extraordinary record of service, and continues to lead change and build community," said Mary Hale Tolar, director of the School of Leadership Studies. "We are delighted to have this opportunity to recognize Linda's outstanding community leadership."

"This award is named for the founding director of leadership studies at K-State, Susan Scott, and was established to honor those whose leadership is focused on bringing progressive change to communities," said Candice Hironaka, senior associate director for student, alumni and community relations at the School of Leadership Studies.

The award will be presented April 19 at the School of Leadership Studies' Spring Celebration.

Teener has been president and executive director of UFM Community Learning Center for more than 19 years, and has been involved in program development for 35 years. Her specialty is creating programs to serve social service and outreach needs in the community. Teener's first program was the "Ring-a-Day" Program for the elderly, created while she was an undergraduate at K-State. The program is still available today in Manhattan through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP.

Teener was the first director of the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center, created the alcohol and drug services program at K-State, worked in mental health outreach, and brought the Manhattan Big Brothers Big Sisters program to national accreditation status before joining UFM Community Learning Center as executive director.

As executive director, Teener has directed the growth of UFM programs from about 100 classes each semester to the current 300-plus noncredit offerings and 70 classes that carry K-State credit. Participation in UFM activities has more than doubled under her leadership, with 29,000 people involved last year alone. Currently, Teener is providing leadership in establishing KONZ-FM, an independent, volunteer-run, noncommercial community radio station to be licensed to UFM Community Learning Center. The theme of the radio project is "building community through radio." UFM has received a Public Telecommunications Facilities Program grant for $291,926 for the station and is working to match the grant by the required 25 percent.

Teener also often conducts workshops and seminars on volunteer management, grant writing, fundraising and other nonprofit management topics. She has been a grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education. She is involved in a number of community organizations, including membership in Little Apple Pilot Club; a past Riley County United Way board chair and is currently serving on United Way Allocations Committee; a member of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce's Retire to the Flint Hills Committee; chair of the Riley County Joint Corrections Advisory Board; chair of the city of Manhattan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; treasurer of the Manhattan Area Risk Prevention Coalition; and is a parent project leader for College Hill 4-H Club.

Teener earned a bachelor's in social work and a master's in counseling and education, both from K-State.