K-State Current
K-State Current - March 9, 2022
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 2022 Top Employer by DiversityJobs.com
Kansas State University has been named a 2022 Top Employer by DiversityJobs.com for a third consecutive year.
The distinction was given to the university because of its 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 66 have been named a top employer in education for 2022. 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."
Be Stoney, interim chief diversity and inclusion officer, said, "K-State has continuously made progress in hiring a diverse workforce. We have been a direct agency for hiring a diverse workforce that is competitive and will continue to engage in developing an inclusive and welcoming culture. K-State is a strong proponent in hiring a more diverse workforce, particularly one that will reflect our student, staff and faculty population."
Richard Myers named the 2022 Flinchbaugh Family Wildcat Pride Award recipient
Kansas State University saw success under the leadership of its 14th president, Richard Myers ’65.
Myers came to K-State in April of 2016 after a career in military service with the U.S. Air Force, serving as a general and 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served as K-State’s president until retiring in February 2022. During his presidency, Myers led the university through many successful initiatives including the completion of the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center; the renovation and restoration of Hale Library after a May 2018 fire; the openings of Regnier Hall and Engineering Hall; a Big 12 title and an Elite Eight Run in men’s basketball; two Big 12 titles in women’s outdoor track and field; the creation of a new budget model and strategic enrollment initiative to help modernize K-State; among many other successes. Myers also demonstrated steady leadership as campus navigated the coronavirus pandemic. 
Myers and his wife, Mary Jo Rupp Myers ’64, served as co-chairs of the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign that raised $1.6 billion - the campaign surpassed its original goal by $600 million.
In recognition of his service, the K-State Alumni Association honored him with the 2022 Flinchbaugh Family Wildcat Pride Award at the Association’s board of directors meeting on March 4. The award honors a current or emeritus K-State faculty or staff member for his or her advocacy of alumni relations, with a special emphasis on support and participation in alumni programs that engage members of the Wildcat family.
“Gen. Richard Myers has been a great friend and partner to the K-State Alumni Association, aiding our mission to lead and inspire lifelong involvement,” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. “He has always been an enthusiastic supporter of our efforts, attending alumni socials, gatherings, pep rallies and other special events. He helped us honor alumni, faculty and friends through our awards programs and always encourages the greater campus community to stay engaged with our programming efforts. Thank you, Gen. Myers, for your dedication to your alma mater. This is truly a fitting award to present as the late Professor Barry Flinchbaugh and President Myers had a very close friendship. Gen. Myers, the Alumni Association is honored to recognize you with the Flinchbaugh Family Wildcat Pride Award.”
K-State Faculty Highlights
Jerry Jay Cranford recognized as Professor of the Week
Jerry Jay Cranford, associate professor of theatre, was recognized as Professor of the Week at the March 5 men's home basketball game.
Faculty Senate, the Office of the President, K-State Athletics and the Division of Communications and Marketing wish to recognize his contributions to K-State.
Cranford first came to K-State as a guest artist in 2012 then returned in 2013 as an instructor, moving into his current position as an associate professor of theatre and head of the acting and directing faculty. Before stepping into academia, Cranford starred in the national tours of "Singing in the Rain," "Anything Goes," the European tour of "Evita" and spent seven years with the Broadway and national tour of "Les Miserables." He has performed with Colm Wilkinson, Sutton Foster, Lea Salonga, Norm Lewis and Andrea McCardle. He has also performed at The Muny in St Louis, North Shore in Boston, Casa Mañana in Fort Worth and spent four years at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, appearing as the Genie in their stage musical of "Aladdin."
In his continuing creative work and research, Cranford travels the country as a professional director and choreographer, championing K-State talent. Most recently, he reopened Kansas City's Starlight Theatre with a fully union production of "Godspell," featuring K-State students and alumni on and off the stage. Other projects as a director and choreographer have included Starlight's "Hairspray," starring two-time Tony nominee Brad Oscar, which received the Broadway World Award for Best Musical Production; "Newsies" in Kansas City, winner of the Broadway World Award for Best Director of a Musical; and the world premiere of "Madagascar: A Musical Adventure," created with Dreamworks and Music Theatre International. Each of these projects featured numerous K-State theatre students. Cranford garnered two Canadian Ovation nominations for his Vancouver, B.C., production of "The Marvelous Wonderettes" and was selected Best Director of a Musical by the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Council for the Rose Theatre's "Newsies."
During the pandemic, Cranford, aided by music and theatre faculty members Paul Hunt, Amy Rosine, James Davis, Dana Pinkston, Ben Stark and Kathy Voecks, created a revue of new musicals in development by four prominent K-State alumni. The production provided students with a performance outlet and was performed outdoors at West Memorial Stadium in April 2021. After a year of not being in our wonderful theatre facilities, he welcomed everyone back on Sept. 30, 2021, with the pop musical "Working," a celebration of the working man with music by James Taylor, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Stephen Schwartz. When not roaming the halls of Nichols, Cranford takes on his favorite role as husband and a father to his two loving daughters.
Haddock receives Distinguished Service Award from Kansas Geographic Alliance
Brandon Haddock, student services coordinator at the LGBT Resource Center with Intercultural Learning and Development, was recognized on Sunday, Feb. 27, with the Paul and Pat Phillips Distinguished Service Award to Geography. The Kansas Geographic Alliance awards this recognition to geographers who lead and promote geography education in Kansas and beyond.
Haddock continues to be active with the alliance, offering seminars for the summer teaching institute organized by the alliance called "P4: People, Prairie, Place, and Patterns." Most recently, Haddock was a keynote speaker for the annual conference of the three Kansas councils that promote geography, social studies and history in the schools: Kansas Geographic Alliance, Kansas Council for the Social Studies, and the Kansas Council for History Education. Haddock presented "We Are Still Here: Indigenous Identity in the Making of Kansas." Haddock also presented "Indigenous Kansas" in 2020 and 2021 for Kansas Geographic Alliance's "P4" Teacher Development Summer Institute.
In addition, Haddock was a classroom teacher for Debra Bolton’s National Geographic Society-funded project "Girl Power Geography," teaching remote sensing and geographic information systems. Bolton was recognized as Kansas Geography Educator of the Year in 2019.
Please join us in congratulating Haddock for this distinguished service award from Kansas Geographic Alliance. You may see the award when you visit the LGBT Resource Center in Holton Hall.
K-State Student News
Kansas State University ASC Team takes second
The Kansas State University ASC Team from the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science went to Reno, Nevada, Feb. 9-12 to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction Region 6 and 7 Competition. This is the first time K-State has competed outside of Region 4.
The competition gives students the opportunity to experience different scenarios that will be presented in the industry. The competition covers multiple different sectors like preconstruction, commercial, heavy civil, design-build, etc. Each sector has its own problem statement and tasks for the student teams.
The K-State Team competed in the Preconstruction Division. The team had to compile a full estimate based on the drawings, a method to get LEED Platinum certification, VE options to bring the estimate down 10%, a schedule of preconstruction and construction services, and a logistics plan. This team only had 12 hours to complete this work and submit it to the "owner." From that point, the team immediately began working on a presentation for the next morning. The team presented to the "owner" and then opened the floor up for questions that were answered based on what team members had learned from the project and what they had determined would be their method of approach. The team answered these questions confidently and skillfully. The K-State team placed second out of 10 very impressive schools.
The team included six students: Sammy John Cervantes, senior from Greensburg; Matthew Forbus, senior from Wichita; Collette LeManske, senior from Denver, Colorado; Taylor Phillips, sophomore from Lee's Summit, Missouri; and Drew Goddard and Spencer Smith, both seniors from Omaha, Nebraska. They were accompanied by Professors Steve Schaffner and Kyle Larson.