The Kansas Board of Regents has announced the appointment of Richard B. Myers ’65 as the 14th president of Kansas State University. Myers has served as the interim president of K-State since April 2016.

 

“It is with great pleasure that we…make this announcement,” said Zoe Newton, chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. “General Myers is perfectly positioned to bring K-State into the future, but understands as an alumnus the importance of honoring the traditions and history of this great university.”

 

Myers said he and his wife, Mary Jo Rupp Myers ’64, are excited for this opportunity to serve K-State and support education and research, honoring K-State’s land-grant heritage.

 

“The kindness that’s been extended to Mary Jo and me has been just actually overwhelming from the time we’ve been here as the interim,” Myers said during his appointment Nov. 15. “The opportunity to come back to a state I love and has helped shape me was important, and the same goes for the university. I’m passionate about our mission here at Kansas State University.”

 

Born and raised in Merriam, Kansas, Myers joined the Air Force in 1965 through the ROTC program at K-State and became a four star general. His distinguished military career includes serving as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2001 to 2005. As the nation’s highest ranking military officer, Myers served as the principal military adviser to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council.

 

Regent Dennis Mullin, chair of the K-State Presidential Search Committee, said Myers’ leadership experience and love for K-State will serve the university well.  

 

“The decision was a hard choice because of the quality of candidates that applied,” Mullin said. “General Myers surfaced to the top because of his strong leadership and vision. When the board looked at the needs of K-State today, they believed that his skill set was aligned closely to those goals. His effectiveness as interim president and his love for K-State were also great attributes.”

 

Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association, is excited to work with President Myers going forward.

 

“We are very proud to have such a distinguished graduate of Kansas State University selected to serve as our 14th president,” she said. “President Myers is an incredible individual who readily shares how his education at K-State helped shape who he is today. His warm, sincere personality resonates with members of our Wildcat community, and people really appreciate how he willingly embraces our Midwest values. We are also fortunate to have his wonderful partner, Mary Jo, a past member of the alumni board, serving as first lady of our university.”

 

K-State Alumni Association board members Sylvia White Robinson ’71 and Travis Lenkner ’01 also expressed their excitement about President Myers’ appointment. 

 

“His commitment to the students, employees, faculty, administration and alumni is beyond reproach,” Robinson said. “I am confident that his leadership, as president of K-State, will continue to advance the university toward academic excellence and being the No. 1 choice of students and families in the state of Kansas.”

 

“A proven leader and passionate K-Stater, General Myers is uniquely positioned to help the university meet its strategic goals while addressing significant challenges,” Lenkner said. “The General and Mary Jo will help take Kansas State to new heights. Our alma mater is in great hands!”

 

Watch President Myers’ full comments on his appointment as the next president of Kansas State University. 

Riding a 5-1 record over the final half of the 2016 season, including three straight wins to secure its fifth eight-win season since 2010, Kansas State University is heading to Houston for the first time since 2006 to play in the 2016 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

 

The game, which dates back to 2006 when K-State played in the inaugural bowl matchup, pits the Big 12 against the SEC and will be played at NRG Stadium at 8 p.m. CST, with a nationwide television audience watching on ESPN. The Wildcats will be facing Texas A&M.

  

“We are proud of the young men in our program for the way they improved throughout the season and very pleased to represent Kansas State University and the Big 12 Conference in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl,” said head coach Bill Snyder. “The Texas Bowl is a first-class bowl organization with a rich history, and we appreciate the entire bowl staff for their efforts and support of our program. We have a wonderful fan base, and so many people that save up their nickels and dimes throughout the course of the year, and the only vacation they take is the one after our (regular) season is over. They love to attend bowls and it’s why we have such great attendance year in and year out at bowl games. They are fully invested in our program, and this means a great deal to them.”

 

Bowl game tickets are available through the K-State online ticket office, the K-State Athletics ticket office in Bramlage Coliseum, or via phone at (800) 221-CATS. Watch the K-State Alumni Association’s official bowl page for information on travel, a pep rally, watch parties and more. The Alumni Association pregame will start at 5 p.m. Dec. 28 at the NRG Center, located next door to NRG Stadium. Enjoy a fun and relaxing meal while socializing with fellow Wildcats and gearing up for the game. The pregame party is included in the Alumni Association official travel package. Other Wildcat fans traveling on their own may also purchase tickets for this event. 

The K-State Alumni Center’s new neighbor — the Berney Family Welcome Center — was formally dedicated Nov. 4, and Kansas State University alumni and supporters gathered to celebrate the latest addition to campus. 

 

The Welcome Center transforms East Memorial Stadium, blending tradition and innovation to create a place for welcoming prospective students, industry partners and other visitors to campus. The center also is a resource for current students and houses the Career Center, which offers job search training, career advising and more.

 

Construction on the Berney Family Welcome Center began in January 2015. It has 25 interview rooms that allow prospective students to meet with admissions representatives during their personalized university visit, as well as a professional environment to host employers who are interviewing students for internships and full-time employment. Interactive technology offers customized information on campus wayfinding, academics, student life and support services.

 

The Berney Family Welcome Center, an Innovation and Inspiration Campaign project, was entirely funded through philanthropic gifts from generous individuals and corporations. It is named in recognition of a lead gift from Rand ’77 and Patti Berney.

 

“We are so grateful to the alumni and friends who made this possible, and for the inspirational vision of Rand and Patti Berney,” said Pat Bosco ’71, ’73, vice president for student life and dean of students. “This facility, in the fully transformed east side of the historic Memorial Stadium, will serve our current and future students, their families and staff for many generations to come.”

 

If you are unable to travel back to campus, you can still take a virtual tour of the Berney Family Welcome Center through the photo gallery below.

 

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favorite Wildcat? The K-State Alumni Association offers a variety of items that can help your friends or family members show off their purple pride throughout the year.

 

K-State Stones: K-State Stones are made in Manhattan, Kansas, using top-quality, real limestone engraved with fade-resistant, long-lasting, monument-grade lithichrome paint. Choose from a variety of designs; personalization is available.

 

Membership: Give the gift of membership this holiday season. Membership in the K-State Alumni Association supports student recruitment, scholarships and alumni events, and also includes benefits such as the K-Stater magazine, annual wall calendar, discounts and more. You can also purchase a Wildcats Forever membership for students currently enrolled at K-State; the program offers events, contests, discounts and giveaways throughout the year.

 

License Plate: Drive with pride with the official K-State License Plate. Plates are available in Kansas, Texas and Maryland and help fund student scholarships and recognition of achievements.

 

Ornament: This year, the annual K-State Alumni Association holiday ornament honors the famous K-State Marching Band, The Pride of Wildcat Land. Ornaments from previous years also are available.

 

K-State Ring: The official K-State Ring showcases the university’s history and tradition. Various styles are available.

 

K-State Wine: Serve wine from an elegant K-State bottle at your holiday gathering. Various designs are available, including the Powercat, the university seal and more.

 

Alumni Center Pavers: Leave a lasting mark on campus with a personalized stone paver at the K-State Alumni Center. The purchase of pavers also benefits the Alumni Center building campaign, which ensures the quality and beauty of the Alumni Center for generations of Wildcats to come.

 

Cat Tales: This book by K-State alumnus Mark Janssen ’72 takes a behind-the-scenes look at K-State athletics, coaches and teams, covering more than four decades.

 

To find more items, visit our Shop Purple page.

For the last 50 years, Kansas State University Global Campus has rapidly evolved to meet the educational needs of place-bound and nontraditional students in Kansas and across the world.

 

While K-State Global Campus is most known for its large number of online degree offerings, the conferences and noncredit programs (CNCP) unit has also spent the last 50 years innovating.

 

Conferences and noncredit programs is charged with a variety of tasks in support of the overall goals of K-State Global Campus, including handling the logistics for 120 conferences and professional development sessions and more than 20,000 annual participants. In many cases, faculty and professionals from across the country attend these gatherings of industry leaders that span a variety of topics, from the more than 450 attendees at the Academic Chairpersons Conference to the 1,000-plus attendees at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Some of these conferences are held at K-State, while others meet across the nation.

 

Some conferences offer professional development while others act as a vehicle for best practices, networking and re-certification. Some of the group’s longer-running conferences have been meeting annually for decades, with the Kansas Transportation Engineering conference nearing its 100th birthday.

 

But the conferences and noncredit programs unit does more than just help plan events. They are also looking to innovate and create new programs in high demand.

 

In addition to partnering with each of the colleges at K-State, the CNCP unit at K-State Global Campus also partners with outside agencies and entities. The Kansas Register of Deeds Association hosts its training seminars through K-State Global Campus. Other noncredit training opportunities span a wide variety of topics, including radon measurement and mitigation, an engineering professional development series and 12 courses in legal studies.

 

While going back to school and getting additional degrees or certificates can enhance careers, CNCP director Jeff Wolfe said corporate America is increasingly looking for more specialized training that doesn’t necessarily correspond with an academic degree.

 

“Part of it is time, part of it is cost,” Wolfe said. “And for those that are already in the job, now they expect lifelong learning opportunities that will provide them with the necessary skills. They need the ability to take what they’ve learned and immediately apply it. It allows you to learn more specifically and apply what you’re learning.”

 

Looking forward, Wolfe sees online noncredit programs as the next big growth area for K-State Global Campus and his unit.

 

“It’s a way to reach out to people who are wanting to take a few additional courses, but need the flexibility to do so on their schedule,” Wolfe said. “The online noncredit courses could be a recertification process, additional training or a follow-up to face-to-face learning that requires putting into action what was learned at their previous session.

 

“We are always looking to develop new ideas that generate interest with our partners on campus. We want to support the ideas they’ve always wanted to implement, but maybe they don’t have the resources or the staffing to make it happen.”

 

Story by Grant Guggisberg ’10, K-State Global Campus

Kaitlin Foley ’15 wanted to be a veterinarian. Zach Boal ’14 wanted to connect with the K-State Family. Karmen Harris ’12 wanted to become the first student in her family to go to college.

 

The K-State Alumni Association helped make the dreams of these students — and many other students — possible thanks to scholarships funded by the Wabash CannonBall events. With Kansas City, Colorado, Houston and now North Texas galas, the Wabash CannonBalls are black-tie events that provide an opportunity for K-State alumni and friends to dine, dance and raise scholarship funds for students from their area.

 

“I would encourage alumni to continue to give to the Wabash scholarship because it really does give students a foundation to come to college, to continue on and strive to be the best,” Harris said in a past video for the Wabash Kansas City event.

 

The first Wabash CannonBall took place in Kansas City in 2007, drawing its name from the song Wabash Cannonball, which has played a vital role in the traditions and spirit of K-State since 1968. Through the years, the galas have raised more than $2.7 million for scholarships for students.  

 

Be sure to mark your calendar for these upcoming Wabash CannonBall events:

 

• Houston: Jan. 20, 2017

• Kansas City: Feb. 24, 2017

• North Texas: May 19, 2017

• Colorado: Aug. 11, 2017

 

To learn more about how you can attend a Wabash CannonBall or become a sponsor, email Andrea Bryant Gladin ’02 for Kansas City, or Michelle Elkins ’87 for Houston, North Texas or Colorado.

 

(Photo credit: Alexander's Fine Portrait Design)

Help pack the Sprint Center in Kansas City with purple as the Kansas State University men’s basketball team takes on Washington State in the Wildcat Classic on Dec. 10.

 

The eighth edition of the Classic between K-State and Washington State will tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on FOX Sports Kansas City. Tickets are available through the K-State Athletics ticket office at (800) 221-CATS or online at www.kstatesports.com. Fans can also order through the Sprint Center by calling (888) 929-7849 or online at www.sprintcenter.com.

 

Fans have packed the Sprint Center for its seven previous Wildcat Classic games, including an average of more than 16,000 for K-State’s last four contests against UNLV, Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M. K-State is 6-1 all-time in Wildcat Classic games at the Sprint Center.

 

For the 2016-17 season, K-State returns six players with starting experience and nine total lettermen, including All-Big 12 Third Team selection Wesley Iwundu and All-Newcomer honorees Barry Brown and Dean Wade. Overall, the squad returns five of their top six scorers from last season, along with nearly 70 percent of their rebounding, assist, steal and minute totals.

 

If you’re traveling to Kansas City for the Wildcat Classic, be sure to stop by the K-State Alumni Association’s pregame party at 4 p.m. at McFadden’s – Kansas City Power and Light District, 1330 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri. Reservations are not required, and guests can order food and beverages off the menu.

 

Find other K-State Alumni Association basketball pregames this season — including an event before the Dec. 17 game vs. Colorado State — and view the complete 2016-17 schedule for men’s and women’s basketball in our Ultimate Basketball Guide.  

This fall, Kansas State University has been recognized for its diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as for its excellence in outreach and communications.

 

For the third consecutive year, K-State has received a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity, or HEED, award from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine. HEED award institutions are selected based on their exemplary diversity initiatives and inclusion of all aspects of diversity, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community.

 

“This recognition is another motivator for the Office of Diversity to continue its efforts toward diversity and inclusion at K-State and to soar to even greater heights,” said Zelia Wiley, interim associate provost for diversity. “It is the combined effort and collaboration of all who help make our university one of the best for multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion across the country.”

 

K-State creative teams receive CASE awards

K-State’s Division of Communications and Marketing, the KSU Foundation and the K-State Alumni Association have received 35 awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE. K-State is a part of CASE District VI, and every year the district presents awards highlighting the best practices in alumni relations, fundraising, public and governmental relations, advancement services, special events and communications.

 

The K-State Alumni Association will receive 12 CASE awards for creative works and programs from 2015-16.

 

“We are honored to be recognized by CASE for the programming, communications and other services the Alumni Association provides to the greater Wildcat Community,” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. “These awards showcase the dedication, creativity and passion to K-State that our staff possesses.”

 

The association’s awards:

 

Gold awards for excellence in research, medicine and science news writing for K-Stater magazine; innovative uses of technology for the exclusive holiday gifts email; Alumni Fellows special event; marketing and branding of the 100th Homecoming celebration; design of the Wildcats Forever poster; and the May 2016 @K-State alumni e-newsletter.

 

Silver awards for the K-State License Plate Program in the best practices in alumni relations platinum category; the August 2015 @K-State alumni e-newsletter; the design of the K-State Alumni Association 2016 member calendar; Kansas State University’s 100th Homecoming celebration special event; and best uses of social media for #DormWars social media campaign.

 

A bronze award for the Kansas City Wabash CannonBall 10th Anniversary Fund-A-Wildcat fundraising video.

 

The KSU Foundation will receive eight CASE awards for creative works and programs from 2015-16.

 

“The public launch of the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign was a central tenet of the foundation’s work this year, so it is rewarding to receive so many awards recognizing those efforts,” said Greg Willems, KSU Foundation president and CEO. “Moreover, it was an honor to collaborate so closely with our campus partners and many volunteers to advance this transformational campaign."

 

The foundation’s awards:

 

Grand gold awards for Innovation and Inspiration Campaign Launch event and the spring 2016 Good for K-State magazine.

 

Gold awards for the foundation’s gift planning package; the Innovation and Inspiration case statement; and the winter 2015 Good for K-State Innovation and Inspiration commemorative campaign edition.

 

A silver award for the winter 2015 Good for K-State magazine design.

 

Bronze awards for personalized trustee engagement Pinchbook, and the Innovation and Inspiration Campaign #KStateInspires social media initiative.

 

K-State’s Division of Communications and Marketing will receive 15 CASE awards for creative works from 2015-16.

 

“Kansas State University’s unified voice is successful at inspiring teamwork and creativity among many talented individuals,” said Jeff Morris ’80, university vice president for communications and marketing. “We are honored to receive 35 of these prestigious awards across the university’s teams, and proud to continue advancing and supporting higher education in the state of Kansas.”

 

The division’s awards:

 

A grand gold award for the statewide Extension website branding and integrated marketing in the best practices in communications and marketing platinum category.

 

Gold awards for the K-State Admissions Holiday Greetings Video; spring 2016 Seek research magazine in the special constituency magazine category; and design of the spring 2016 Seek research magazine.

 

Silver awards for the #WildcatWay Brand Experience Campaign; university website news distribution RSS technique; The Wildcat Way “What makes traditions unforgettable?” institutional spot; and excellence in research, medicine and science news writing.

 

Bronze awards for the K-State economic impact website; The Experience Matters annual magazine; 2016 K-State Open House postcard; K-State Research Showcase information video; spring 2016 Seek research magazine in the institutional relations research publication category; the Johnson Cancer Research Center “The fight starts here” commercial; and Archeological Field School photograph.

Thank you to all of our Kansas State University alumni and friends who made pledges not to text while driving in the Kansas Insurance Department’s “Don’t Text #JustDrive” campaign.

 

Seven Kansas universities competed to see which could generate the highest percentage of pledges, based on the number of enrolled students. While Emporia State University won the contest, K-State had the highest number of pledges, with 6,272. In all, nearly 35,000 pledge votes were cast by students, alumni and supporters of each university, all committing not to text while driving.

 

“We are gratified by the number of students, alumni and school supporters who pledged their vote and their willingness to stop needless traffic accidents because of distracted driving,” said Ken Selzer ’75, CPA, Kansas Commissioner of Insurance.

 

A national study found that three out of four people surveyed admitted to texting while driving, even though they agreed the activity is dangerous to themselves and others.

 

“All Kansans are winners through this campaign,” Selzer said. “We’ve shown pride in our universities and made a safety statement at the same time. Now it’s up to those who pledged to follow through on their commitments.”

 

As you travel during the holiday season, remember to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road — don’t drive distracted!

Read the latest issue of Good for K-State

Philanthropic gifts to K-State make a difference every day in the lives of faculty and students. The fall issue of Good for K-State magazine shares stories of K-State heroes — ordinary people doing extraordinary things. You’ll also learn about the work done by the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees, the importance of excellence funds to academic leaders and how you can help make a difference at K-State today.

 

Read more

 

Alumna invests in Purple Masque Theatre after pursuing her lifelong dream of acting

When Sandy Kirmser Chastan ’92, ’16 went through a difficult time — her husband passed away in April 2013 — she found she had more free time on her hands that she could direct toward something she had always wanted to do: acting.

 

“Suddenly I was left with nothing much to do, having retired in 2011 to care for my family,” Chastan said. “I thought about it and decided why not do what I had always wanted to do and take some courses in acting?”

 

The Sandy Chastan Purple Masque Enhancement Fund gave a gift of $100,000 this semester to help with the renovation of the Purple Masque Theatre.

 

“It dawned on me that this gift would be a way I could give back to all the people who had taken me in and helped me through a very difficult time in my life,” Chastan said.

 

Read more