K-State Current - May 26, 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

Be Stoney appointed interim chief diversity and inclusion officer

Following an internal search, Be Stoney, a longtime Kansas State University College of Education faculty member with extensive diversity, equity and inclusion training experience, has been appointed interim chief diversity and inclusion officer by President Richard Myers.

Stoney will serve while a national search is conducted to permanently fill the post left vacant by the departure of Bryan Samuel.

"As an educator with a strong background in diversity training, Dr. Stoney's experience will be an asset as she fills the vital position of interim chief diversity and inclusion officer," Myers said. "She will be relied upon to help the university promote a culture of inclusion where individuals from all racial and ethnic identities, ages, nationalities, social and economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religious, political and ideological perspectives, and physical and mental abilities may thrive and engage."

Stoney also will help the university continue implementation of all diversity and inclusion plans in place, including the Action Plan for a More Inclusive K-State.

Stoney currently serves as an associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education, where she is a member of the graduate faculty and chair of the college's undergraduate academic reinstatement committee. In addition, she serves as K-State's faculty athletics representative and works closely with K-State Athletics and the Big 12 Conference on issues related to academic integrity, rules compliance and student-athlete welfare.

"My reason for applying for the interim chief diversity and inclusion officer position is to continue making a difference for faculty, staff and students at K-State," Stoney said. "Serving as a professional who must be a diplomat, confessor, a sounding board, innovator of ideas, consummate business person, a dedicated educator, advisor and a coach — all at the same time — has allowed me to become confident, supportive, a relationship builder and an issues-oriented problem solver. The interim CDIO position will require me to maintain relevant knowledge and exhibit tact, leadership, foresight, care and compassion for human beings, all of which match my skills and dovetail with my desire to contribute to the university. I enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and learning more about them personally and professionally."

As a person of color, Stoney uses a multiple-lens approach that infuses race, ethnicity, culture, equity, inclusion and diversity as integral parts of her teaching and life. She has provided diversity, equity and inclusion training for Canada Olympic Training Center Diversity Action Team and the Alliance Diversity and Executive Team for Golf Canada. Additionally, Dr. Stoney is a certified qualifying administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory. She conducts intercultural development debriefs with administrators, students and faculty, as well as inclusion training for the Manhattan-Ogden School District and other school districts in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

In conjunction with her work as the faculty athletics representative, Stoney has facilitated workshops and conferences for teams experiencing cultural and diversity, race-related and political issues, such as whether to kneel or remain standing for the national anthem. Last summer, she helped student-athletes cope and resolve issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement and the George Floyd tragedy.

Stoney joined K-State in 1999 as a race equity coordinator and technical consultant with the College of Education's Midwest Equity Assistance Center. She was subsequently hired as an assistant professor of secondary education with the college in 2000 and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. She currently serves as coordinator of the physical education and health program for the curriculum and instruction department and teaches several undergraduate courses for the program.

Before joining K-State, Stoney was a special education teacher and department chair at the middle school level.

Stoney earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education-special education/health education and a master's degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas, El Paso and a doctorate in special education/multicultural education from the University of Texas, Austin.

College of Education using KBOR grant to help online students in urban, rural areas earn teaching degrees The Kansas State University College of Education has received a grant from the Kansas Board of Regents to support scholarships for online undergraduate students in urban and rural communities planning to become teachers.

Project TRUST — an acronym for training for rural and urban school teachers — is a $160,000 grant designed to help place-bound students in targeted communities earn a bachelor's degree in elementary education. It will provide 30 students with 12 credit hours of tuition support for their final semester.

Todd Goodson, professor and chair of the college's curriculum and instruction department, is the lead principal investigator for the grant. Assistant curriculum and instruction professors Tonnie Martinez and Lori Goodson are co-principal investigators. The team also includes Eileen Wertzberger, field experiences project coordinator; Susan Erichsen; grant specialist; and LouAnn Getz, research assistant.

"School leaders recognize there are talented future teachers growing up in front of them but for a number of reasons those students are unable or unwilling to leave their communities to attend a four-year university," Martinez said. "These students already know and love their communities and are highly invested in them. We hope the project's scholarships will be an incentive for these outstanding teacher candidates to complete their coursework online and a yearlong student teaching residency in their home communities then fold right into teacher vacancies as soon as they graduate."

Project TRUST supports a grow-your-own program model by allowing students to complete their degree requirements in their home communities while addressing specific teacher needs in hard-to-fill disciplines and underserved areas.

The college first offered this online bachelor's degree in 2017 with eight students enrolled. Today, the number is 110, representing a greater than tenfold – or 1,275% – increase in enrollment.

In addition to working with teacher pathway programs at local school districts, Project TRUST coordinators will work closely with administrators at Kansas City Kansas Community College in Kansas City and Seward County Community College in Liberal.

K-State Faculty Highlights

Polytechnic faculty member wins top aviation maintenance educator award

A Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus aviation maintenance faculty member is being honored with a top award.

Steven Locklear, teaching assistant professor and option coordinator in aviation maintenance management, has been named the Aviation Technician Education Council Ivan D. Livi Aviation Maintenance Educator of the Year for 2021.

Locklear has been faculty at K-State Polytechnic since 2017. An accomplished aviation maintenance technician, he has a private pilot license, a master's degree in aviation safety and is currently pursuing his doctorate.

Locklear is passionate about teaching and loves helping his students develop a passion for the aviation industry.

"The first day when students arrive in class and they're nervous is great, along with the end of the first semester when they realize they were able to do it," he said. "I love watching my students succeed."

Throughout the pandemic, Locklear developed innovative solutions to deliver quality education to his students — solutions that will stay in use long past online-only education.

"The most difficult part of the pandemic for the students was the feeling that they must teach themselves," Locklear said. "I used every tool at my disposal to communicate with our students and create a connection. The most important thing was to try several methods and if one way failed, try again."

Locklear was nominated for the award by Terry Hunt, K-State Polytechnic department head of aviation.

"Steven is not only a professional; he cares for students, their success and the future of aviation maintenance," Hunt said.

The aviation maintenance industry is pivotal to aviation as a whole. Locklear believes it takes a person with a measure of self-confidence to work on a machine that ensures safety during transportation.

"This gives the students a lot of determination when they enter school," Locklear said. "They're working on understanding and learning, and I simply build the image of the professional that they will become. Telling one story after another about who they can become is fun."

According to the Aviation Technician Education Council, nominations for educator of the year come from across the country to recognize instructors who, either through a single event or over the span of a career, have a direct impact on aviation maintenance students. Locklear is the second educator from K-State Polytechnic to receive this prestigious award since 1990.

For more information on K-State Polytechnic and the aviation maintenance management program, visit polytechnic.k-state.edu or call 785-826-2640.

Communication sciences and disorders professor receives national advisor award

Jeridy Oetken has received the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Making Waves Chapter Advisor Award. The Making Waves Award is given by NSSLHA for outstanding leadership as an advisor who has served their chapter for less than five years. She was nominated as the advisor of the K-State Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or KSSSLHA.

Olivia Baus and Annie Taggart, communication sciences and disorders students and previous KSSSLHA officers, nominated Oetken for the award. In their nomination, the students spoke about their advisor’s consistent and measurable service to the students in the chapter; her encouragement of student leadership and engagement; her involvement in chapter activities; and how she demonstrates the National NSSLHA’s core values of philanthropy, community service, career awareness, advocacy and leadership.

“Dr. Oetken serves our chapter as if she has been an advisor for over a decade,” said the nomination. “Between her attentiveness to officer needs, her support when we discuss new programming options, and her extensive knowledge on everything from abiding by the department’s intricate financial regulations to knowing which local professionals may be interested in partnering with philanthropic efforts, she is the perfect mix of supporting our officers’ ambitions yet charging us to practice independence and problem-solving skills. She personifies the ‘sky is the limit’ perspective and encourages our officers to believe that, too. She has taught us that if we are willing to be creative, resourceful and dedicated, there are few boundaries on what our chapter can achieve. She deserves the NSSLHA’s Making Waves Award because she is an attentive, empowering and knowledgeable advisor who has set a new standard for the recent years’ officer teams in our chapter and whose leadership will undoubtedly bring about positive change within the NSSLHA chapter at Kansas State University for years to come.”

“We are fortunate to have an advisor who so evidently cares about not only our chapter’s well-being, but our individual officers’ and members’ well-being, too,” said Baus. “This award is a testament to Dr. Oetken’s consistent dedication to KSSSLHA, and she couldn’t be more deserving.” Taggart added, “Dr. Oetken continuously goes above and beyond as an advisor, mentor, and role model. She is incredibly knowledgeable and always so willing to help, especially when approached with a question. Our chapter is so lucky to have her leadership and involvement.”

Oetken is a clinical assistant professor in the communication sciences and disorders program in the College of Health and Human Sciences. She teaches at the undergraduate and graduate level and serves as a clinical instructor in the K-State Speech and Hearing Center. She joined K-State in 2018 after serving as a speech language pathology with Riley County Schools for five years.

K-State Student News

Solar decathlon team takes part in national competition

A multidisciplinary team of K-State students from engineering, architecture and business was selected to compete as a finalist in the virtual U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2021 Design Challenge April 17.

The team presented its project, "Carbon Cottage — A Diamond in the Rough" to a panel of industry leaders following collaboration on the design of a high-performance, suburban single-family housing project that was judged on the following 10 components: architecture, engineering, market analysis, durability and resilience, embodied environmental impact, integrated performance, occupant experience, comfort and environmental quality, energy performance and presentation.

In preparation for the competition, all team members were required to complete building science educational video modules produced by the DOE. Members performed a market analysis on the proposed project site in the heart of coal country, Charleston, West Virginia. The home was designed with passive solar features and efficient use of space. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were designed to minimize energy use, harvest rainwater and produce solar energy to achieve net-zero energy status. Construction techniques and materials were researched and analyzed to minimize waste, keep costs down and produce a resilient structure.

"The solar decathlon competition was extremely valuable for anyone interested in sustainability as it allowed students from a variety of colleges to collaborate and solve real-world issues while learning sustainable practices to combat these issues," said Nick Kalny, senior in architectural engineering and team president. "I found value in what I learned as well as in the leadership experience offered."

Other team members contributing to the project were Dani Ahern and Levi Johnson, architectural engineering; Ryder McAlexander and Ty Miller, construction science and management; Brett Lafleur, Sydney Tucker, Laura Gillum and Alicia Thurston, interior design; and Luke Hafner, accounting and finance.

Paul Karr, assistant professor, and D. Craig and Dalene D. Nelson — Carl and Mary Ice Cornerstone teaching scholar in the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science, served as the team's faculty adviser.

K-State Crowned National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team The Kansas State University Meat Animal Evaluation Team won National Champion honors at the 2021 Collegiate Meat Animal Evaluation Contest hosted in Manhattan, Kansas. The team was recognized Tuesday, April 27 following the three-day competition.

The event, previously known as the AKSARBEN contest, now rotates between host institutions across the country. The competition includes live market animal carcass predictions and pricing, breeding animal evaluation and meat judging competition and truly serves as a capstone judging experience for students with its incorporation of so many industry applicable concepts.

The team placed first in the breeding, pork, sheep and market animal divisions of the contest. Individually K-State had four place in the top five overall. Gabri Leone, Fowler, Colorado, was first; Ty Kim, Hartwell, Georgia, second; Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Kentucky, third; and Chad Hibdon, Princeton, Kansas, fourth. (See complete individual and team results below.)

“The Meat Animal Evaluation competition is the pinnacle competition for students who have already demonstrated excellence in animal and/or meat evaluation,” says Dr. Mike Day, KSU ASI department head. “The application of principles that are critical across a wide array of segments of the animal and meat industry, and the links to value-based marketing and other economic aspects of the same, emphasizes the comprehensiveness of this capstone experience. Congratulations to our K-State students for their high level of excellence in this competition.”

The team is coached by Dr. Travis O'Quinn and Chris Mullinix.

Team Results:

• Champion Team — Breeding Division
• Champion Team — Pork Division
• Champion Team — Sheep Division
• Champion Team — Market Division
• Second-Place Team — Meats Division
• Second-Place Team — Communications Division
• Second-Place Team — Beef Division

Individual Results:

• Gabri Leone, Fowler, Colorado – 1st Overall, 6th Beef, 1st Market, 9th Meats, 7th Sheep and 1st Swine
• Ty Kim, Hartwell, Georgia — 2nd Overall, 5th Beef, 3rd Breeding, 2nd Market, 4th Sheep and 2nd Swine
• Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Kentucky — 3rd Overall, 1st Breeding, 6th Market, 3rd Sheep and 3rd Swine
• Chad Hibdon, Princeton, Kansas — 4th Overall, 10th Beef, 2nd Breeding, 10th Meats and 5th Swine
• Sydney Bowman, Brighton, Colorado – 6th Overall, 8th Beef, 8th Breeding, 7th Market and 1st Sheep
• Kaitlin Bell, Nottingham, Pennsylvania– 10th Overall, 7th Beef, 4th Meats and 9th Swine
• Ben Jensen, Courtland, Kansas – 3rd Beef
• Andrew Anderson, Fort Scott, Kansas – 4th Breeding, 8th Sheep and 7th Swine
• Abby Leachman, Townsend, Montana – 9th Breeding and 5th Market
• Zane Platter, Gothenburg, Nebraska – 9th Market
• Hannah Seymore, Visalia, California – 4th Swine
• Mason Engnell, Good Hope, Illinois– 10th Swine

Team Members:

• Andrew Anderson, Candy, Kansas
• Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Kentucky
• Kaitlin Bell, Nottingham, Pennsylvania
• Sydney Bowman, Brighton, Colorado
• Mason Engnell, Good Hope, Illinois
• Brandon Fraser, Cochrane, Alberta
• Chad Hibdon, Princeton, Kansas
• Colton Ivers, Austin, Minnesota
• Ben Jensen, Courtland, Kansas
• Ty Kim, Hartwell, Georgia
• Katherine Krauss, Russell, Kansas
• Abby Leachman, Townsend, Montana
• Gabri Leone, Fowler, Colorado
• Audrey Marchek, Harper, Oregon
• Rhett Newby, Caney, Kansas
• Zane Platter, Gothenburg, Nebraska
• Abby Schiefelbein, Kimball, Minnesota
• Hannah Seymore, Visalia, California
• Amanda Stock, Troy, Kansas
• Morgan Woodbury, Quenemo, Kansas

Members of the National Champion Meat Animal Evaluation Team from Kansas State University pictured above (back row, l to r) are: Chris Mullinix, Manhattan, Kan., coach; Ty Kim, Hartwell, Georgia; Brandon Fraser, Cochrane, Alberta; Wyatt Banks, Cynthiana, Kentucky; Zane Platter, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Colton Ivers, Austin, Minnesot; Chad Hibdon, Princeton, Kansas; Ben Jensen, Courtland, Kansas; Andrew Anderson, Candy, Kansas; Rhett Newby, Caney, Kansas; and Mason Engnell, Good Hope, Illinois. Front row (l to r) are: Audrey Marchek, Harper, Oregon; Kaitlin Bell, Nottingham, Pennsylvania; Sydney Bowman, Brighton, Colorado; Gabriel Leone, Fowler, Colorado; Amanda Stock, Troy, Kansas; Abby Schiefelbein, Kimball, Minnesota; Hannah Seymore, Visalia, California; Morgan Woodbury, Quenemo, Kansas; Katherine Krauss, Russell, Kansas; Abby Leachman, Townsend, Montana and Travis O’Quinn, Manhattan, Kan., coach.

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