03/17/21
K-State Current - March 17, 2021
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
Kansas State University named 2021 Top Employer by DiversityJobs.com
Kansas State University has been named a 2021 Top Employer by DiversityJobs.com for a second consecutive year.
The distinction was given to the university because of the dedication and commitment to building a diverse workforce and culture. DiversityJobs.com recognizes that K-State has a proven dedication to diversity outreach. DiversityJobs.com has hundreds of university clients but only 57 have been named a top employer in education for 2021. Kansas State University is the only higher education institution in the state of Kansas to be named a top employer.
"This recognition speaks to the diligent efforts of many people here at K-State to target our position advertising dollars and our candidate outreach in places that bring us the most diverse, skilled talent we can find," said Jay Stephens, vice president for Human Capital Services. "It also recognizes the tremendous effort of so many partners on our campus to foster a true sense of belonging and make real progress toward a more inclusive K-State."
Top rated: K-State's hospitality administration master's degree named one of the best
The Master of Science in hospitality administration at K-State was recently ranked as the 18th best master’s degree in hospitality by collegerank.net, whose fundamental mission is to provide students with useful information that will help them make an informed decision regarding which college to attend.
In addition to this stand-alone master’s degree, the department also offers a dual degree that allows students to earn a Master of Science degree in hospitality administration and a Master of Business Administration degree. Students may also continue to further their education through the Doctor of Philosophy degree option.
Students within the graduate programs can expect to collaborate with faculty to conduct applied research and disseminate findings through scholarly publications and presentations. The degree offers flexibility, allowing students to meet personal and professional objectives while enhancing departmental research in the areas of foodservice, food safety, lodging and meeting and event management.
The Department of Hospitality Management, located in the College of Health and Human Sciences, is an internationally recognized department, committed to preparing the next generation of hospitality leaders and educators. Their programs have been recognized numerous times for the exceptional student experiences that are provided through experiential learning and through hands-on preparation for successful careers. They are home to the only undergraduate program in Kansas accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration. For more information on the department, visit their website.
K-State Faculty Highlights
K-State Polytechnic professor uses sabbatical to gain hands-on experiences to share with students
Kansas State Polytechnic's Andrew Smith, professor of aviation, is serving an internship with General Atomics Aeronaturical Systems Inc. in Southern California during his sabbatical.
Andrew Smith, Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus professor of aviation, is using his sabbatical to participate in a faculty internship with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
For his sabbatical, Smith chose to reconnect with industry as a way to obtain first-hand experiences in the aerospace reality of today and potential of tomorrow. He chose to seek an internship with General Atomics, which included a rigorous application and interview process, because he thought the company was a perfect fit for his experience.
A highly skilled aviation educator, Smith was named an Aviation Technician Education Council Educator of the Year. He has FAA airframe and powerplant inspection authorization, is a designated aviation mechanic examiner and is a certificated flight instructor. Smith plans to bring back the industry experience and knowledge he gains to his Kansas Polytechnic classroom: a hangar where students gain real-world, hands-on experience. He also plans to share what he learned with K-State campus communities and colleagues.
Through a focused, fast-paced schedule in Southern California, Smith has participated in demonstrations and explanations of technical writing, business operations, proposals, composites manufacturing, avionics manufacturing, aircraft cable assembly, additive manufacturing, airworthiness, and remotely piloted aircraft systems integration and testing. He also has been gaining hands-on experience with engine manufacturing and test cell operations, airport operations, maintenance training, aircraft operations and flight training.
Smith has been particularly interested in learning more about General Atomics' future-facing aeronautical systems.
Smith is the first K-State faculty member to be hosted by General Atomics through its postgraduate-level faculty sabbatical internship initiatives, which support professional enrichment and experience in leading-edge aerospace and related disciplines.
K-State voice professor's ensemble nominated for award
Patricia Thompson, associate professor of music, performed as a member of Luminous Voices, a professional choir based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on its latest recording "Sea Dreams," which has recently been nominated for a 2021 Juno Award.
Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists to acknowledge excellence in all aspects of music. The awards are often referred to as the Canadian equivalent of the Brit Awards in Great Britain, or the Grammy Awards in the U.S.
Thompson has been a member of Luminous Voices since its inception in 2012 and has sung on multiple recordings of the ensemble, often as a soloist. "Sea Dreams" has been nominated in the category of Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral.
K-State Student News
K-State Sales Team finishes second place at Challenger Sales Institute Regional Team Challenge
From left: Colton Williams, Stacia Mendoza, Lydia Johnson, Benjamin Rauth and Zach Hoeven
Team members were Zach Hoeven, senior in professional strategic selling, Olathe; Lydia Johnson, a sophomore in professional strategic selling and Spanish, Prior Lake, Minnesota; Stacia Mendoza, a sophomore in marketing, Lenexa; Benjamin Rauth, senior in professional strategic selling, Kansas City, Missouri; and Colton Williams, a sophomore in professional strategic selling, Osage City.The Kansas State University Sales Team finished in second place at the Challenger Sales Institute Regional Team Challenge hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma on March 3-5. Nine universities and 39 students competed in the event consisting of speed selling, role-plays, and a sales management case competition. Scores for teams were calculated based on performance in all three categories.
Johnson, Rauth and Mendoza competed in the role-play portion of the competition. Williams and Hoeven participated in the sales management case competition. All team members competed in speed selling. Hoeven placed first out of 39 students in speed selling. In role-play competition, Johnson placed third out of 21 students. Hoeven and Williams placed second out of seven universities in the sales management case competition.
"I'm extremely proud of the efforts put forth by all five individuals," said Kellie Jackson, managing director of the National Strategic Selling Institute and sales team coach. "To have representation in the top three in all three events was a great accomplishment. We also appreciate all the sponsors and faculty for the time and effort they invested to put on this event to develop sales talent."
The K-State Sales Team is in the College of Business Administration's National Strategic Selling Institute, which has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for nine straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. The team consists of students who are enrolled in the certificate or major in professional strategic selling. In fall 2018, K-State became just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a major in professional strategic selling. Students can also earn a certificate in professional strategic selling, which is open to all majors at the university. The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales and its innovative curriculum and sales labs allow students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
The K-State Sales Team will be competing in several competitions throughout the school year across the country. For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute or the K-State Sales Team, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu.