Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's continuing education programs and staff brought home six awards from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association central region. The awards were presented at the association's regional conference Sept. 25-27 in Minneapolis, Minn.

"Receiving six awards through this association showcases the high quality of Kansas State University's online faculty, students, support staff and programs that are reaching thousands of individuals regionally and across the U.S.," said Sue Maes, dean of continuing education at the university.

Awardees include:

* The Kansas Transportation Engineering Conference, Mature Noncredit Program Award. With 38 speakers and more than 550 attendees in 2013, the conference plays a leading role in the development and communication surrounding transportation innovation in Kansas.

* The Engineering Summer Institute, Innovative Noncredit Program Award. Through this collaborative program, students from Gujarat Technological University travel to Kansas State University to complete two eight-week courses in electrical and mechanical engineering disciplines taught by Kansas State faculty. The program has provided a new pathway for academic and cultural exchange between the two schools.

* Justin Kastner, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, Excellence in Teaching Award. In addition to developing and teaching online credit classes, Kastner co-founded the Frontier program, a cooperative educational program between Kansas State University and New Mexico State University focusing on homeland security challenges.

* Jason Maseberg-Tomlinson, director of student and faculty services in the Division of Continuing Education, Professional Continuing Educator Award. Maseberg-Tomlinson has met with more than 30 campus offices to learn about their services and how they can be applied to serve the university's online learners. Services already in place when Maseberg-Tomlinson became director have been significantly strengthened, including a faster response time and more in-depth communications to meet student needs.

* Kim Schurle, the division's duplication/mail manager assistant, Continuing Education Support Specialist Award. Schurle oversees the division's in-house duplication center and provides project management services for distance education, conferences and other division programs.

* Michael Feingold, Lenexa, a May 2013 bachelor's graduate in food science, Outstanding Continuing Education Student Award. Feingold has been a positive influence on his fellow students through service as a Marine, motivation to complete his education and perseverance during challenging times. Feingold also received the Division of Continuing Education's Extraordinary Student Award this year. His video testimonial can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLA6eRrbpRY.

The Division of Continuing Education also successfully nominated Penny Tiedt, director of continuing education/extension at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse for the John L. Christopher Outstanding Leadership Award. Tiedt's leadership has helped the university's continuing education/extension programming staff in researching, identifying and developing a three-year strategic plan that supports its academic affairs and the University of Wisconsin system growth agenda.

For more information on the Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education, visit http://www.dce.k-state.edu/.