Sources: Susan Allen, 785-532-6444, slallen@k-state.edu;
and Mary Hale Tolar, 785-532-6085, mtolar@k-state.edu
Thursday, June 11, 2009
K-STATE SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES' INAUGURAL SUSAN M. SCOTT COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD TO SUSAN ALLEN
MANHATTAN -- Susan Allen, director of the nonviolence education program at Kansas State University, is the recipient of the inaugural Susan M. Scott Community Leadership Award from K-State's School of Leadership Studies.
"Susan Allen is a true agent of change," said Mary Hale Tolar, interim director of the School of Leadership Studies. "She has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to and accomplishment in community activism. Her sustained, bold leadership has moved us all forward."
"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.
Allen teaches Do Nonviolence -- Be the Change, the introductory course for K-State's certificate in nonviolence studies. She also conducts and is involved in several campus and community applied nonviolence programs, including the K-State Campaign for Nonviolence, Season for Nonviolence, noontime yoga and awareness meditation, the international news television in the K-State Student Union and Community Peace Poles. K-State's Campaign for Nonviolence program also is responsible for starting such on-campus programs as SafeZone and Empty Bowls.
Allen is currently writing the text "Every Day Nonviolence."She has published foundational pieces on nonviolence education and media anthropology, including in Voices, a publication of the Association for Feminist Anthropology. Her 1994 book, "Media Anthropology -- Informing Global Citizens," was the culmination of her work since 1968 to develop a sub-discipline and profession combining anthropology, journalism and public education to help people evolve more anthropological, holistic perspectives.
Prior to becoming director of K-State's nonviolence education program, Allen worked from 1993 to 2006 at K-State's Women's Center, serving the last six years of her tenure as the center's director. She also has been a visiting associate professor at the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Tokyo, Japan; editor of Alliance, an ethnic newspaper at K-State; and a legislative correspondent for former U.S. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas.
Allen earned a bachelor's in anthropology from Wichita State University, a master's in journalism and mass communications from K-State, and a doctorate in media anthropology from the University of Kansas.
"I was overjoyed when the faculty named Susan Allen the inaugural recipient," said Susan Scott, the award's namesake and senior adviser and associate professorin leadership studies. "She has accomplished so much with so few resources. Her quiet efforts have begun a movement that I believe will continue to grow and change the landscape of K-State for years to come. I am also grateful beyond words to the faculty who has chosen to honor my work in this very special manner."
