09/23/20
K-State Current - September 23, 2020
K-State Current is a weekly news update for the Kansas Board of Regents to apprise the Regents on a few of the many successes and achievements made by K-State faculty, staff and students.
K-State News
Petrescu to lead graduate education at Kansas State University
Claudia A. Petrescu, a chief strategic planning officer and professor of public administration from Michigan, will become Kansas State University's first vice provost for graduate education and serve as dean of the university's Graduate School.
Petrescu's appointment was made by K-State Provost and Executive Vice President Charles Taber following a national search. Petrescu will start her new duties on Jan. 10, 2021. She replaces Carol Shanklin, who is retiring, as dean of the Graduate School.
"I am excited to have Dr. Petrescu join us in this newly defined leadership role of vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School at Kansas State University," Taber said. "She joins K-State at an exciting time as we engage in new and innovative graduate programming and strategic enrollment efforts. She will bring a fresh and relevant perspective to our graduate programs and will be a strong advocate for graduate students."
In her new role, Petrescu will provide strategic leadership and vision to help advance graduate education in directions consistent with K-State's goals and priorities and the evolving role of graduate education in the 21st century. She will oversee operations of the Graduate School and will work collaboratively with partners — including the college deans, faculty, students, program coordinators, administration and more — to develop fresh approaches to graduate program enrollment.
"I am truly honored for being chosen to serve as the inaugural vice provost for graduate education and dean of the graduate school at K-State," Petrescu said. "I am looking forward to working with Provost Taber and with K-State's leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members in supporting the university's mission by advancing graduate education in strategic and innovative ways."
Since 2019, Petrescu has served as chief strategy officer at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Reporting to the university president, she works with leaders from across all divisions to lead and coordinate implementation of the university's strategic plan, develop data-driven decision-making, identify strategic opportunities that support organizational innovation and adaptation, student success, impactful research and community engagement, and creating a diverse and inclusive campus.
Petrescu served as Oakland University's dean of graduate education from 2015-2019 and is a professor of public administration and nonprofit management. Before joining Oakland, Petrescu was at Eastern Michigan University where she was a professor of public administration and nonprofit management; faculty associate for policy and procedure at the Graduate School from 2014-2015; assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for strategic planning from 2009-2015; program director of the university's National Leadership Alliance from 2004-2014; and interim head of the political science department from 2005-2007.
Among Petrescu's honors are serving as an American Council of Education, or ACE, fellow from May 2018 to June 2019. She has 14 peer-reviewed publications in a variety of journals, including the International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, International Leadership Journal, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and more, and has presented her work across the world.
Petrescu earned her doctorate from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. She earned a master's degree in social and public policy from Duquesne University and a master's in economics from Babes-Bolyai University in Romania. She also completed post-graduate studies in international affairs at the National School of Public Administration and International Relations, also in Romania. Petrescu is fluent in Romanian and Hungarian.
Health care experts from Northeast Kansas have supplied their expertise and support to the newly developed physician assistant program within the College of Health and Human Sciences, helping them prepare to welcome their first cohort of students in January 2021.
The physician assistant, or PA, program began their development in 2018 and was publicly announced in spring 2019. The past two years have been spent developing curriculum and clinical site locations, preparing for accreditation and creating a new space in Ice Hall, where the program will be housed.
The PA program would like to extend their sincerest appreciation for the local health care experts for their unwavering support time and talents as members of the program’s founding advisory committee. The committee serves as a direct link between the program and the local health care professionals to strengthen the quality of the educational experience and provide a more informed view of the medical community.
“In 2018, using their knowledge of current trends in health care, the committee reviewed the proposed PA curriculum to ensure relevancy; promoted the PA program in their communities; and secondary to their concerted efforts are now assisting with interviewing for the inaugural class,” said Gwen Ferdinand-Jacob, program director.
Members of the founding advisory committee include: Mike Trausch, physician assistant-certified, and MAJ Vivien Guevara, physician assistant-certified, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley; Amy Fitzgerald, Lindsborg Community Hospital, Lindsborg; Erin Thornton, physician assistant-certified, Manhattan Dermatology, Manhattan; Keith Wright, medical doctor, Stonecreek Family Physicians, Manhattan; Lance Saville, medical doctor, Manhattan Surgical Hospital, Manhattan; Kerri Maxcy, physician assistant-certified, Manhattan Primary Care, Manhattan; Anne Gnadt, physician assistant-certified, Lafene Health Center, Manhattan; Tandalayo Kidd, registered dietitian nutritionist, licensed practical nurse, professor, College of Health and Human Sciences, Manhattan; Kelcie Strecker, physician assistant-certified, Kansas Medical Clinic, Shawnee; Megan Brown, physician assistant-certified, Kansas Medical Clinic, Topeka; and David Brosa, physician assistant-certified, Stormont Vail Healthcare, Topeka.
From outside Kansas, Brad Dirks, physician assistant-certified, Kansas City Veteran’s Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri.
The physician assistant program will be located in Mary and Carl Ice hall on the Manhattan campus. The 27-month, full-time graduate program, leading to a master’s degree in physician assistant studies, consists of three semesters of classroom instruction, followed by 15 months of clinical training. PA students will complete approximately 2,000 hours of hands-on clinical experiences, through 11 rotations at various clinics and hospitals across the State of Kansas, and beyond.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 37% increase in physician assistant jobs between 2016 and 2026, compared to a 13% increase in physician jobs. Physician assistants are one of the three primary care providers, recognized by the Affordable Care Act of 2010, along with physicians and nurse practitioners.
For more information on the physician assistant program, please visit their website.
K-State Faculty Highlights
Political science professor appointed to Kansas Advisory Committee to US Commission on Civil Rights
John Fliter, associate professor in the political science department, has been appointed a member of the Kansas Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Along with 11 other members, the committee's task is to advise the Commission on Civil Rights on matters in the state of Kansas.
Fliter will bring his expertise on prisoners' rights, criminal justice, free speech, religious freedom and fair labor standards to this role. His appointment to the commission is a recognition of his research and teaching contributions in these areas.
Advisory committees have recently examined education funding, school discipline disparities, policing practices, mental health and the criminal justice system, legal financial obligations, human trafficking, fair housing, hate crimes, voting rights, and collateral consequences of criminal convictions. In addition to advising the commission, advisory committee reports have contributed to policy changes at the national, state and local levels.
Fliter joined the political science department in 1994. His most recent book, "Child Labor in America: The Epic Legal Struggle to Protect Children," was published by the University Press of Kansas in 2018 and examines child labor laws. He is currently working on his fourth book, "U.S. v. Darby Lumber: The Triumph of Fair Labor Standards." Fliter received the 2010 K-State Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching and he was named the 2013-14 Coffman University Distinguished Teaching Scholar. He has taught courses on constitutional law, administrative law, the judicial process, and civil rights and liberties. His teaching and research areas keep him actively engaged in civil rights issues, both professionally and personally.
K-State Student Highlights
Architectural engineering student earns Gold Award industry scholarship
Diego Sanchez, Hugoton, a Kansas State University architectural engineering student in the concurrent bachelor's and master's degree program with an emphasis in structural engineering, has received the Gold Award, a $2,500 scholarship from the Mid-West Concrete Industry Board and Concrete Promotional Group.
Applicants for the scholarship were evaluated on potential for growth, character, leadership capacity and career interest.
Sanchez was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, moved to the U.S., is self-taught in English, and while a student in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering became a U.S. citizen in 2019.
"It is a pleasure to be awarded this scholarship that brings support and encouragement to continue my education," Sanchez said.
"Diego has a passion to learn and do his best in everything he does," said Kimberly Kramer, professor of architectural engineering and construction science, director of graduate studies, the G.E. Johnson Construction Science endowed chair, and Sanchez's adviser. "He is an excellent ambassador of Kansas State University and a true joy to mentor.
"We are fortunate to have the support of the Mid-West Concrete Industry Board and Concrete Promotional Group for our architectural engineering and construction science programs," Kramer said. "They provide speakers for classes or seminars, offer individual expertise to students needing resources for academic projects and allow us access to their concrete plants for site visits."
Agricultural economics students win national case study competition
Bailey Hinkle and Devin Brand, master's students in agricultural economics, recently competed in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's national Case Study Competition and earned first place.
The students were given an in-depth case study covering a real business venture, Solinftec, a Brazilian technology and precision ag company that wants to establish a foothold in the United States. Hinkle and Brand had a month to prepare their proposed solutions and strategies for the company and to submit them in the form of a video presentation.
The video submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges, including faculty from across the United States, as well as the chief operating officer of Solinftec. Hinkle and Brand then had to present their strategy and defend their solutions to the judges in several rounds of live discussions.
"The competition looked a little different this year due to the pandemic, but we were excited about the opportunity to use our education and skills to provide a solution to a real-world problem," Brand said. "We are grateful to our advisor, the competition organizers and the company executive who thoughtfully considered our proposed strategy."
"The first-place win in this national competition is a result of Devin and Bailey's hard work and creativity," said Aleksan Shanoyan, associate professor of agricultural economics and the team's advisor. "It is also a testament to the high-quality training they received in the department of agricultural economics at K-State."
In the past 20 years, the Agricultural Economics Case Study Team has placed in the top three 12 times and has placed first seven times in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association competition.
"This continues the tradition of K-State agriculture economics graduate students placing top in national and international competition," Shanoyan said of the programs continued success.