K-State is in the final stages of determining what the fall 2020 semester will look like for students. 

University Provost and Executive Vice President Chuck Taber shared that the university has been assessing classroom environments and determining ways to meet physical distancing requirements and address ventilation issues.

Efforts are underway to de-densify all classrooms and instructional spaces by establishing limits for in-person classes, offering online or blended/hybrid format courses, and prioritizing in-person classes for those where face-to-face instruction is most effective such as labs, performance courses and clinical instruction.

"Inevitably, these efforts are leading to changes in academic schedules, including teaching format, room assignments and class times," Taber said. "We recognize that these changes will feel disruptive and require a great deal of flexibility on the part of students, faculty and staff."

Revisions to the fall academic schedule will be finalized Aug. 3. Students should wait to make changes to their schedule until they receive a notification that the schedule adjustments are complete. Students will then have the opportunity to visit with their academic advisers and make any course adjustments, if necessary, and pending availability of courses before classes begin on Aug. 17. READ MORE

K-Stater and retired inventor of N95 masks returns to work — mostly for free — to fight pandemic

Former K-State student Peter Tsai recently was featured in The Washington Post for his work to combat COVID-19.

Although the materials scientist technically retired two years ago, he has returned to duty to help with respiratory mask shortages. He is the inventor who patented the filtration material used in disposable N95 respirators.

According to The Washington Post article, unlike other forms of personal protective equipment N95 masks actually filter out contaminants, making them the most protective masks on the market.

“I started working almost 20 hours a day,” Tsai told The Washington Post. “But I didn’t mind.” READ MORE

University signs research agreement for COVID-19 vaccine candidate

K-State has signed a new preclinical research and option agreement with Tonix Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, to develop a vaccine candidate for the prevention of COVID-19.

The inventor of the technology, Waithaka Mwangi, professor of diagnostic pathobiology in the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, will direct the research, which is based on a new vaccine platform that his research team developed for bovine parainfluenza 3 virus, known as BPI3V, which is closely related to human parainfluenza 3 virus.

“A weakened BPI3V has previously been shown to be an effective vaccine vehicle in humans. More importantly, following extensive testing, BPI3V was shown to be safe and stable in infants and children,” Mwangi said. “The vector is well suited for mucosal immunization using a nasal atomizer, but it can also be injected. Therefore, BPI3V is suitable for development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates.”

The researchers focused on the most critical protein of coronaviruses: the spike protein. When a person is exposed to the virus, this protein is involved in the infection of the host cell. The vaccine candidate developed at K-State has been engineered to display the spike protein in a manner that mimics the actual virus. READ MORE

K-State study first to show SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, not transmitted by mosquitoes

A new study by K-State researchers is the first to confirm that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes.

Stephen Higgs, associate vice president for research and director of the university’s Biosecurity Research Institute, or BRI, together with colleagues from the BRI and the College of Veterinary Medicine had the findings published July 17 by Nature Scientific Reports.

“While the World Health Organization has definitively stated that mosquitoes cannot transmit the virus, our study is the first to provide conclusive data supporting the theory,” said Higgs, Peine professor of biosecurity and university distinguished professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology.

The study, which was done at the BRI, a biosafety level-3 facility, ultimately found that the virus is unable to replicate in three common and widely distributed species of mosquitoes — Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus — and therefore cannot be transmitted to humans. READ MORE

Administrative furloughs will address budget shortfalls

Multiple colleges and units will implement administrative furloughs as one of several ways the university is addressing significant financial challenges for fiscal year 2021. The financial challenges are the direct result of the still-evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 10, K-State President Richard Myers ’65 outlined steps the university is taking to reduce nearly $37 million in costs, including the administrative furloughs, terminating and eliminating positions, voluntary salary reductions, using cash reserves, and cutting operating expenses. Coupled with the emergency furloughs the university administered in May and June, 1,868 employees will be affected.

While the furloughs will provide the university with $8.65 million in short-term cost reductions, Myers said these personnel actions come at a steep cost. “These emergency and administrative furloughs have real-life consequences for our faculty and staff who are the heart of our university. These are very difficult decisions to make.”

K-State Human Capital Services is providing online assistance for employees affected by furloughs, including FAQ webpages for both emergency and administrative furloughed employees. Furloughed employees also can apply for emergency funds through the #KStateStrong Emergency Response Fund administered by the KSU Foundation. READ MORE

Online bachelor’s in mass communications launches in fall

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on higher education, but K-State continues to adapt and evolve.

The university’s A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications is launching an online bachelor’s degree in mass communications designed to offer students the skills needed in today’s media environment. The bachelor’s degree, for 120 credits, officially launches on Aug. 17 with new classes starting every eight weeks. Students can apply through K-State Online.

The program includes specific coursework in journalism or strategic communications. The journalism sequence prepares students for work in broadcast, news reporting and media design. Strategic communications focuses on advertising and public relations with an emphasis in social media.

“We will be one of a handful of accredited journalism and mass communications programs in the world to offer an entire undergraduate degree program online,” said Steve Smethers ’76, ’85, director of the A.Q. Miller School. “This fits nicely with K-State’s cyber land-grant university leadership, and we are proud to be among the programs on campus making this vision a reality.” READ MORE

Kansas State University has a proud tradition of excellence in athletics. 

Wildcat student-athletes have gone on to compete on a national and international stage. We’ve trained record-setters and Olympians, NFL stars and more. 

This year, a number of these K-Staters will be honored as inductees in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing their enduring legacy in the sports community.

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame has announced that former K-State football standouts Jordy Nelson ’07, Terence Newman ’02 and Darren Sproles ’05 and former K-State track star and Olympian Steve Fritz ’93 have been selected as members of the 59th Anniversary Class of 2020. The induction class of 2020 will be honored in ceremonies Oct. 4 at the Kansas Star Casino.

🏈 Jordy Nelson ’07

Nelson was a wide receiver for K-State from 2005-07 and set single-game school records for receptions with 15 and receiving yards with 214. He also tabulated the single-season receiving yards record with 1,606 and season yards per game with 133.8. At the conclusion of his standout career with the Wildcats, Nelson was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and proceeded to play 11 seasons in the NFL with the Packers and Oakland Raiders.

🏈 👟 Terence Newman ’02

Newman was a four-year letter winner for K-State football and a three-time letter winner for K-State track and field from 1999-02. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, Newman was drafted fifth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, beginning a 15-year NFL career with stops with the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings.

🏈 Darren Sproles ’05

Sproles was arguably the most electrifying running back in K-State history and was a four-year letter winner from 2001-04. Following his time in Manhattan, Sproles was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. Sproles concluded a 14-year NFL career following the 2019 season which included stints with the Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles.

👟 Steve Fritz ’93

Fritz was a two-sport letter winner at K-State, competing in track and field and men’s basketball. Fritz also represented the United States on 10 national teams in the decathlon. In 1996, Fritz reached the pinnacle of his career by finishing fourth in the decathlon at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. In his professional career, Fritz served as an assistant track coach at K-State for more 20 years.

LEARN MORE 

Imagine you’re a freshman at Kansas State University, stepping onto campus as an official student for the very first time at the beginning of the semester. 

You’re excited, but also a little nervous. You’re about to embark on an entirely new experience unlike anything you’ve ever done before. You have so many dreams and goals, but you’re not quite sure how to go about accomplishing them.

That’s where K-State First comes in.

K-State First is the university’s first-year experience program. For the past decade, K-State First has helped students establish a solid foundation for the rest of their college career and given them tools they’ll need to be successful both in the classroom and in their future jobs.

“Our K-State First legacy is based on our core goals in supporting and advocating for first-year students,” said Mariya Vaughan ’08, ’11, K-State First assistant director. “For the past 10 years, we have focused on helping students with their transition to the university by fostering campus community and feelings of belonging, offering opportunities for diverse activities and interactions, raising academic expectations with engagement and compassion, and empowering students with a strong sense of personal responsibility and social agency.”

What is the K-State First experience?

K-State First is a collection of programs that promote student success:

• Connecting Across Topics (CAT) Communities: Small groups of students with similar interests taking courses (examples include groups centered around theater and film, global communication and more)
• First-Year Seminars: Small classes featuring lots of interaction with a professor and other students
• Guide to Personal Success: A one-on-one mentoring program where a K-State professional invests in a new student
• K-State First Book: All-university common reading program, where all K-Staters are encouraged to read the same book and participate in activities and discussions surrounding the book’s theme

Vaughan said that K-State First wouldn’t be possible without the partnerships and collaborations forged with other programs, departments and individuals on campus.

The impact of K-State First

According to Vaughan, K-State First has helped to bring the university-wide retention rate up to 86% from 78% a decade ago. The program also helps students to graduate more quickly; for example, there is a 46% four-year graduation rate for first-generation students who were in a First-Year Seminar or CAT Community, compared to the 27% rate for those who weren’t in one.

“Students are also highly engaged in their learning and indicate that they enjoy the CAT Communities and First-Year Seminars that are taught in a lively, interactive way,” Vaughan said. “Students love the opportunities to ask questions, interact with the professor and the other students, and challenge themselves with personalized, hands-on attention.”

While COVID-19 has brought challenges across the university, the work of K-State First will continue this fall.

“As with many programs, we’re working hard to adjust to our current reality within the pandemic while putting students’ needs at the forefront,” Vaughan said. “Our classes might look a bit different due to social distancing, but we are exploring ways to continue high-impact practices through teaching workshops and resource guides. These include focuses on how to build community online and in-person while needing to be physically distant. We are also working on digital programming related to our common book, and plan to have the author, William Kamkwamba, for a live online presentation in September.”

A common read

The 2020 K-State common read is the memoir The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba. The book tells the story of Kamkwamba’s dreams as a young boy to build a windmill that will bring electricity and running water to his village in Malawi.

Tara Coleman ’02, web services librarian, associate professor and chair of the K-State First Book committee, said there are many benefits for having a common read for a university.

“It introduces people to new ideas and invites them to share their perspectives and critiques of what they are reading,” she said. “There is no right or wrong answer and diverse perspectives are encouraged. It gives people the opportunity to learn more about the topics brought up in a book through different lenses and disciplines. The way someone in agriculture looks at the book may be different from education, which may be different from leadership studies, and so on.”

Every year the university selects a theme to guide the selection of the common read. The theme for 2020 was “STEM Stories,” i.e. books that share the untold stories and/or underrepresented people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“The selection committee felt that [The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind] would tell an inspiring story that would be relatable to students and cover subjects that are important to the K-State community: access to education, food insecurity, wind energy and many more,” Coleman said.

Coleman hopes that students will read the book and be inspired to find solutions to problems they see in their community. She also hopes that K-State alumni and friends will join in and read the book as well.

“This book has a children’s, young reader’s and adult version so everyone can join in,” she said. “There is also a lovely movie reimagining of the book on Netflix directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. We would love to know what people think and hope they will reach out to us with their thoughts.”

How you can support K-State First

In addition to reading and discussing this year’s common read, there are many other ways K-State alumni and friends can support the mission of K-State First.

The university is looking for volunteer mentors for the Guide to Personal success mentorship program. This is a great opportunity to support first-year students in a one-on-one mentorship relationship. If you are interested, you can sign up through WildcatLink.

As part of the organization’s 10th anniversary year, they also are working to raise money for need-based scholarships.

“Our goal is to raise enough money this year to support 10 in-state and 10 out-of-state student scholarships,” Vaughan said. “We would love any alumni’s help this year in spreading the word and raising awareness about this scholarship drive.”

Give now

2020 has been a strange year for all of us. At the K-State Alumni Association, our building has been closed to the public since March, and we’ve had to cancel many of our regular events, like graduation celebrations and summer Alumni Club gatherings. We’ve missed seeing you all face-to-face.

However, even though our doors have been closed, our mission to connect and serve the alumni and friends of Kansas State University hasn’t stopped. Over the past four months, our staff members have been working remotely to make sure that we’re still bringing encouragement and purple pride to Wildcats across the globe.

To give you a peek behind the scenes, we asked five of our staff members from different departments to share their experiences working remotely.

Megan Reichenberger ’11
Associate director of membership and marketing

What has your experience been like working from home? What are some of the changes and challenges you’ve dealt with as part of transitioning to remote work?

At the beginning of the office being shut down, our son’s daycare was also shut down so we had him at home with us. This made any kind of work very challenging while also trying to care for an infant. Doing any type of brainstorming or future planning became very difficult and added a lot of stress while trying to be a good mom and a good employee. But, once my son’s daycare opened back up, working from home has gone very well. I have been able to maintain relationships and hold meetings through Zoom and phone calls with staff, outside contacts and alumni, and I have been very productive without distractions.

What work-related accomplishment or project during COVID-19 are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the video I coordinated to celebrate all May grads. Working with our Alumni Association team, the K-State Division of Communications and Marketing, and a recent grad on the logistics of the video was challenging at times but very rewarding once the final product was completed. It felt good to highlight the seniors and celebrate them during a time that has been very challenging for them.

Watch the video 

What are some of the hobbies, home projects, etc. you’ve done personally to help pass the time during quarantine?

My husband and I were quite busy with our son at home with us for over three months of our quarantine time. With him being just a little over 4 months old when the shutdown began, we didn’t have much time for extra hobbies or projects but really enjoyed having him home with us. Although challenging at times, we were so thankful to have the extra time with him at home that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Getting to be a part of developmental stages in his first year, listening to his laugh and seeing his smile sure brightened our days at home!

What message of encouragement would you like to send to K-Staters during COVID-19?

Hang in there! While sometimes it may seem like we are living in total chaos with uncertain times ahead, take a minute to stop and be thankful for what you do have. Enjoy the extra hobbies you have picked up, your time with your kids, the quiet time, whatever it is. Use this time to remember to slow down in life and enjoy the little things.

Jessica Elmore ’06, ’15
Associate director of diversity programs

What has your experience been like working from home? What are some of the changes and challenges you’ve dealt with as part of transitioning to remote work?

My experience working from home has been a positive one. I was able to transport a lot of my tangible files home and having the ability to access work drives remotely has made working from home very productive. The changes I have encountered are limited interruptions and the time saved on traveling to and from meetings. Challenges that have occurred are really just getting used to communicating with people virtually or through email and testing to see how strong our relationships are because we do not have facial cues we typically receive when we communicate in person. Also when you are on a roll with your work, it may not be the same for the person you are working with so there can be some lag time, so that took some getting used to.

What work-related accomplishment or project during COVID-19 are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the way I was able to pivot and celebrate our multicultural and international award winners in a meaningful way. Recording video for each award winner and getting to share it globally really meant a lot to the winners and they were able to easily share with their family and friends no matter where they were located.

Example of video 

What are some of the hobbies, home projects, etc. you’ve done personally to help pass the time during quarantine?

During quarantine my husband Kedric ’16 and I have taken at least one or two drives per day, just to get out of the house. We have traveled to places like Westmoreland, Council Grove and Randolph — places that we had never been before and would not have taken the time to visit because of our busy schedules. I was totally stoked when I got to see parts of the Oregon Trail, I played the computer game in elementary school so it was cool to see a part of it in person. Also with the flexibility of working from home I had a chance to spend almost a month at home in California and that was very special to me as I got to spend every day with my nephew and enjoy special time with my mom!

What message of encouragement would you like to send to K-Staters during COVID-19?

All things work together for the good! We may not understand what the plan is, but we are blessed to live another day to experience another day.

Jacob Marintzer
Network and technology administrator

What has your experience been like working from home? What are some of the changes and challenges you’ve dealt with as part of transitioning to remote work?

Well I have three kids so we had to help teach, try to work and try to watch these animals all at the same time. So I would say it was controlled chaos!

What work-related accomplishment or project during COVID-19 are you most proud of?

We went from being an office that didn’t have anyone working at home to everyone working from home so I had to make this possible. It had to be done fast and it had to work as perfectly as possible. Knowing all of this and knowing everyone in the entire world was going to need to do this exact same thing, I was able to purchase a vpn device, ship it to my house, and get it installed and working perfectly within a couple of days.

What are some of the hobbies, home projects, etc. you’ve done personally to help pass the time during quarantine?

My wife Tara and I have always wanted to get some sort of home energy source, either solar or wind energy, at our place for a very long time. We made the decision to do solar energy and being the crazy people we are, we decided to do everything ourselves plus at the same time build a back deck. It was a fun project and it has been awesome. I’ve also installed a new in-ground basketball goal for the kids. We had an 8-inch rain which messed up our circle drive so we rented a skid steer one weekend and fixed our entire yard. I’ve been growing a huge garden as we plan on canning a ton of food for the winter. We have also started plans on a second solar system — should be real sweet! And how can we forget our giant pumpkins. This year marks year 11 of the giant pumpkin adventure and right now we have a 600+ pound pumpkin growing and a 350+ pound pumpkin growing. Our plants look the best they ever have so we have very high hopes for this year!

Watch the pumpkin progress

What message of encouragement would you like to send to K-Staters during COVID-19?

Life is short — you can’t control what the world throws at you. Don’t worry about the stuff you can’t control, get out there and live your life to the fullest!

Lauren Chard ’08
Alumni Center manager

What has your experience been like working from home? What are some of the changes and challenges you’ve dealt with as part of transitioning to remote work?

Since I run the day to day operations and events at the Alumni Center, closing the building and not hosting events for four months was a big change. Three of the staff members in our department couldn’t really work from home so they continued to work in the Center three-four days a week.

I was able to covert most of my daily work to working remotely but I still go into the office every week to catch up with my staff and complete Center projects that I now have time for. 

What work-related accomplishment or project during COVID-19 are you most proud of?

Updating event and caterer protocols and buying new products to comply with COVID changes that have been brought upon the event world. I used the time working from home to do as much venue/catering research as possible so when we do open back up, the Center is on top of policy changes. I also bought new cleaning products, hand sanitizing stations and have spent a lot of time thinking how events will look in our new normal. I’ve been in weekly contact with vendors that will be working events when the Center opens back up so we’re on the same page. That also helps me determine if I’m in line with other venues on the verbiage I’m sending to my customers.

Alumni Center COVID protocols

What are some of the hobbies, home projects, etc. you’ve done personally to help pass the time during quarantine?

I’ve always loved to read but it took a back burner to my pre-COVID life. Since I’ve been in quarantine, I’ve picked reading back up and am averaging a book a week. I also have enjoyed getting to spend the extra quality time with my 3-year old son, Kade. We grew really close and that’s something that I’ll cherish as he grows up. Right as quarantine started, my husband and I converted part of our garage to an outdoor hangout area equipped with a TV and mini fridge. Needless to say we spend a lot of time outside! I’ve also started walking my dog Maddie daily. Every morning she gets so excited when I grab her lease and we try to walk at least a mile each day.

What message of encouragement would you like to send to K-Staters during COVID-19?

Hang in there…it will get better and what we’ve learned through all this is priceless. I’ve said that to a lot of friends in the events industry. When quarantine started I was stressed and scared at not knowing what would happen and I’ve also learned to just take it one day at a time and work through issues as they come. Also, be compassionate about how others are handling this new normal. You may not know what health conditions or personal strife someone is going through so just be kind. We’re all in this together!

Tim Schrag ’12
Editor, K-Stater magazine

What has your experience been like working from home? What are some of the changes and challenges you’ve dealt with as part of transitioning to remote work?

It’s certainly been an adjustment. Going from an office setting where your coworkers are right there to communicating entirely through emails and Zoom was a learning experience.

What work-related accomplishment or project during COVID-19 are you most proud of?

Putting together the summer issue of K-Stater magazine. We had to basically throw out our entire magazine plan and start over fresh. But I really like how it turned out. I think it’s a great document that will help people remember those spring months of quarantine.

K-Stater COVID-19 issue

What are some of the hobbies, home projects, etc. you’ve done personally to help pass the time during quarantine?

From March 31 to July 9, I made a painting every evening. That’s exactly 100 paintings. It was a fun way to spend the evenings doing something creative to pass the time. They’re mostly Kansas landscapes.

What message of encouragement would you like to send to K-Staters during COVID-19?

We can do this, K-State. Please keep vigilant, wear your mask in public, wash your hands and stay safe!

Although the global COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges for students at Kansas State University, it has also brought unprecedented opportunities. The pandemic has given students a chance to learn real-life disaster response techniques and to serve the community in vital ways. 

For second-year veterinary student Maya Djordjevich, originally from Bethesda, Maryland, that means volunteering with the university’s Student Outbreak Response Team, or SORT.

As part of SORT, K-State College of Veterinary Medicine veterinary students and Master of Public Health students are helping the Riley County Health Department with its COVID-19 efforts.

Djordjevich, who serves as vice president of SORT, said she never expected to be called to volunteer on the front lines of a global pandemic but is grateful for the learning opportunity.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I scheduled and hosted outbreak response training,” Djordjevich said. “I was thinking we would be working more along the lines of a local foodborne outbreak or natural disaster as opposed to a viral pandemic.”

According to Andrew Adams, public health emergency preparedness coordinator for the Riley County Health Department, SORT was created with the help of a K-State Master of Public Health student in 2017 to serve as a part of the health department’s surge capacity protocol for disease investigations and outbreak control and has been a vital part of the public health response to COVID-19 in Riley County.

Djordjevich volunteers her time twice weekly conducting contact tracing interviews with individuals, hospitals and businesses. Contact tracing involves gathering symptoms, travel habits and locations visited before and after onset of symptoms of those who are affected by the virus, as well as any names and contact information for their close contacts.

“I am empowered by the vital work that I am doing with the knowledge that contact tracing is an integral factor in reopening communities and businesses,” Djordjevich said. “Volunteering with the Riley County Health Department has furthered my interest in public health. I will be entering a Master of Public Health program in fall 2020.”

Second-year veterinary student Molly Allison, Overland Park, Kansas, said learning how to conduct contact tracing has been a valuable experience. She said it has allowed her and other student volunteers to learn and grow in the public health aspects of their education while making an impact within the community.

"For myself, conducting contact tracing has not only allowed me to become more acquainted with the many jobs our health department does to ensure our health and safety as a community, but it has also given me insight on how to provide public health education and how to effectively communicate with people who are looking for answers and provide some encouragement to those who have and are currently struggling with this disease," Allison said. "All of these things are powerful and speak to the impact of SORT’s partnership with the Riley County Health Department."

Adams said the health department is thankful for the help members of SORT have provided.

“Having a trained cadre of volunteers ready to jump in at a moment’s notice has been hugely impactful,” Adams said. “The students are helping the Riley County Health Department to quickly contact confirmed cases of COVID-19 and identify their close contacts — all as a part of controlling the pandemic locally and helping to flatten the curve, raise the bar and push past the negative impacts of COVID.”

Original article: https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2020-06/sort-covid63020.html