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K-State Today

October 14, 2021

Honorees of the Women of Distinction Recognition Ceremony

Submitted by Amber Bebout

Women of Distinction lapel pin

On Oct. 6, the K-State Office for the Advancement of Science and Engineering, or KAWSE, hosted a combined event for the ninth and 10th annual Women of Distinction Recognition Ceremony in the K-State Alumni Center Banquet Room.

The ceremony recognized K-State women faculty, staff and administrators for academic achievements, such as earning tenure and promotion, being promoted to full professor, or winning a university award. Those individuals recognized received a Women of Distinction lapel pin.

The honorees:

University Awards

  • Mary Ellen Barkley, Career Center, Presidential Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Sterling Buist, animal sciences and industry, College of Agriculture, Presidential Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Doris Carroll, special education, counseling and student affairs, College of Education, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Presidential Faculty/Staff Award for Distinguished Services to Historically Under-Represented Students.
  • Carrie Fink, registrar's office, Office of Enrollment Management, K-State's University Support Staff Award of Excellence.
  • Kathleen Greene, Educational Supportive Services and McNair Scholars Program, Office of Student Success, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Inclusive Excellence Honoree.
  • Amelia Hicks, philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.
  • Candace LaBerge, Faculty Senate, K-State's University Support Staff Award of Excellence.
  • Katrina Lewis, interior architecture and industrial design, College of Architecture, Planning and Design, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award.
  • Becky Marsh, recruitment and admissions, Office of Enrollment Management, 2021 K-State University Support Staff Award of Excellence.
  • Mishelle Hay McCammant, agriculture academic programs, College of Agriculture, President's Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Mandi McKinley, K-State First and Vice Provost of Student Success Office, 2021 K-State President's Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Nicole Meritt, special education, counseling and student affairs, College of Education, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.
  • Roberta Reid, agricultural economics, College of Agriculture, President's Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Marci Ritter, Dean's Office, Global Campus, 2021 K-State President's Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Jen Schlegel, plant pathology, College of Agriculture, President's Award of Excellence for Unclassified Professionals.
  • Mary Kay Siefers, Staley School of Leadership Studies, Presidential Faculty Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
  • Jessica Heier Stamm*, industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, College of Engineering, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award.
  • Mariya Vaughan, K-State First, Office of Student Success, Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Presidential Faculty/Staff Award for Distinguished Services to Historically Under-Represented Students.
  • Linda Yarrow, food, nutrition, dietetics and health, College of Health and Human Sciences,Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. 

ADVANCE Distinguished Lecture Series Awards

College of Agriculture

  • Valentina Trinetta, animal sciences and industry department. 

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Tendai Gadzikwa, chemistry department. 
  • Abigail Langston, geography and geospatial sciences department. 
  • Allison Louthan, Division of Biology. 
  • Bethany Plakke, psychological sciences department. 
  • Stephanie Shames, Division of Biology. 

KAWSE Award

  • Kathrine Walker-Schlageck, Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art. 

New associate professors

College of Agriculture

  • Lindsey Hulbert*, animal sciences and industry department. 
  • Valentina Trinetta*, animal sciences and industry department. 

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Cydney Alexis, English department. 
  • Heather Bailey*, psychological sciences department. 
  • Rebecca Bender, modern languages department. 
  • Kate Digby, School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
  • Tatiana Firsova*, mathematics department.
  • Ruth Gurgel, School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
  • Amelia Hicks, philosophy department. 
  • Ketino Kaadze*, physics department.
  • Colene Lind, communication studies department. 
  • Anuja Madan, English department. 
  • Tosha Sampson-Choma, English department. 
  • Shirley Tung, English department. 
  • Laura Valentín-Rivera, modern languages department. 
  • Lydia Zeglin, Division of Biology.

College of Education

  • Jia Grace Liang, educational leadership department. 
  • Lisa Rubin, special education, counseling and student affairs department. 
  • Lydia Yang, special education, counseling and student affairs department. 

College of Engineering

  • Katie Loughmiller, architectural engineering and construction science department. 
  • Trisha Moore*, biological and agricultural engineering department. 

College of Health and Human Sciences

  • Erin Yelland, applied human sciences department. 

College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Natalia Cernicchiaro, diagnostic medicine and pathobiology department. 
  • Emily Reppert, clinical sciences department. 
  • Raelene Wouda, clinical sciences department.

New full professors

College of Agriculture

  • Cassandra Jones*, animal sciences and industry department. 
  • Mithila Jugulam*, agronomy department.

College of Architecture, Planning and Design

  • Katie Kingery-Page, landscape architecture and regional & community planning department. 

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Chardie Baird*, sociology, anthropology, and social work department. 
  • Melinda Cro, modern languages department
  • Jessica Falcone*, sociology, anthropology, and social work department. 
  • Laura Kanost, modern languages department. 
  • Anne Longmuir, English department. 
  • Carla Martinez Machain*, political science department. 
  • Wendy Matlock, English department. 
  • Lisa Melander*, sociology, anthropology, and social work department. 
  • Sarah Reznikoff*, mathematics department. 
  • Natalia Rojkovskaia*, mathematics department
  • Shireen Roshanravan, American ethnic studies department. 
  • Eleanor Sayre*, physics department
  • Anna Marie Wytko, School of Music, Theatre and Dance. 

College of Engineering

  • Pavithra Prabhakar*, computer science department. 

College of Health and Human Sciences

  • Joyce Baptist, applied human sciences department. 
  • Katie Heinrich, kinesiology department. 
  • Kim Hiller, interior design and fashion studies department. 
  • Joy Robbins, interior design and fashion studies department. 

College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Kate KuKanich*, clinical sciences department. 
  • Amy Rankin*, clinical sciences department.
  • Dana Vanlandingham*, diagnostic medicine and pathobiology department. 

New clinical associate professors

College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Neala Boyer, clinical sciences department. 
  • Cathryn Sparks, anatomy and physiology department. 

New University Distinguished Professor

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Christine Aikens*, chemistry department.

New endowed chairs and professorships

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Heather McCrea, history department, Kenneth S. Davis Professorship. 

College of Business Administration

  • Amy Hageman, accounting department, Ralph Crouch—Peat Marwick Professorship. 

College of Engineering

  • Julia Keen, Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science - Coffman Chair for University Distinguished Teaching Scholars

College of Health and Human Sciences

  • Barbara Anderson, interior design and fashion studies department, Elizabeth Chapin Burke Chair in Health and Human Sciences. 
  • Kim Hiller, interior design and fashion studies department, Weigand Professorship in Apparel and Textiles. 
  • Elaine Johannes, applied human sciences department, Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Professor in Community Health. 
  • Tandalayo Kidd, food, nutrition, dietetics and health Department, Mary L. Vanier Professorship in Health and Human Sciences. 

New department heads

College of Agriculture

  • Megan Kennelly*, plant pathology department. 

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Melinda Cro, modern languages department. 

College of Health and Human Sciences

  • Tandalayo Kidd, food, nutrition, dietetics and health department. 

New directors

College of Agriculture

  • Jeanette Thurston, Food Science Institute.

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Sherry Fleming*, Johnson Cancer Research Center.
  • Mary Kohn, Chapman Center for Rural Studies.

College of Business Administration

  • Marcia Hornung, Center of Principled Business.

College of Health and Human Sciences

  • Jennifer Francois*, Kansas Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research.
  • Jennifer Miller, B.S. Public Health Program.

Office of the President

  • Stephanie Lott, Office of Institutional Equity. 

New associate dean

K-State Salina

  • Terri Gaeddert, academics and student success.

New assistant deans

College of Agriculture

  • Deana Core, academic programs.

College of Business Administration

  • Olivia Law-DelRosso, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

College of Engineering

  • Amy Betz*, retention, diversity, and inclusion.

New deans

  • Claudia Petrescu, Graduate School.
  • Alysia Starkey, K-State Salina.

New vice provosts

  • Jeannie Brown Leonard, student success.
  • Claudia Petrescu, graduate education.

New general counsel

  • Shari Crittendon, Office of General Counsel.

*Women who have been awarded KAWSE's ADVANCE Distinguished Lecture Series Award.