Updates from The Crow's Nest on July 8, 2025:
**Park University Achievements and Appointments Highlighted in June**
June was a month of significant achievements and appointments for Park University. Here are some of the highlights:
On June 21, Matt Harris, Associate Professor of Political Science, was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBC-TV following the U.S. air strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. The same day, Harris also did a live 12-minute interview with KCTV in Kansas City and provided soundbites for stories on KSHB-TV in Kansas City.
In academic news, Sarah Moe was elected as board secretary, and Jeff Anthony as the board treasurer. Meanwhile, Tim Westcott, Ph.D., Professor of History, Associate University Archivist, and Director of the George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War, provided a presentation about the City of Parkville, Mo., to members of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Centurions Leadership Program on June 10.
Sports accomplishments were also numerous. Laurel Gagnon, '17, MM '19, was announced as the winner of the Dallas International Violin Competition on June 17. The 1s pair of sophomore Izabella Ceratti and freshman Maria Pim, Parkville Campus women's beach volleyball, were named 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA Beach All-Americans. The Parkville Campus women's beach volleyball team advanced to the national semifinals in the NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball National Invitational in late April.
In softball, freshman P Hanna Vaught was named the conference Freshman of the Year and selected to the HAAC Gold Glove Team. Senior CF Ledezma Romero was also named to the GSAC Gold Glove Team in softball. The softball team finished second in the Heart of America Athletic Conference’s Commissioner’s Cup for the 2024-25 academic year, with Head coach T.J. Stower being named the conference Coach of the Year.
In baseball, senior OF Gilberto Torres earned first team honors, while men’s golf - Santiago Valdes and Charlie Santonsson earned spots on the HAAC All-Conference team. Men’s volleyball - Mihailo Ivanovic and Nicolas Tenius were announced as first team selections for the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Two Gilbert Campus student-athletes, Digeo Bejarano and Kayla Schroeder, were honoured with a 2025 Cliff Hamlow Champion of Character Award. The Gilbert Campus DP Alejandra Castro, INF Noelle Gumm, and INF Ileana Rivera earned all-conference honours in softball.
In golf, women’s golf - Freshman Anna Korsen was named the conference Freshman of the Year, while head coach Martha Linscott was selected as the conference Co-Coach of the Year.
Assistant coach Malaina Hensley was named as the conference Assistant Coach of the Year. Mara Cohara, J.D., has been elected as vice chair of the Board of Trustees.
Scott Jackman, Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus director of athletics, appeared on the Playing with a Purpose podcast on June 20, discussing her work mentoring student-athletes and her thoughts on the evolving role of influence in sports culture.
Brian Mertz, Lewis Nerman, Sam Stahnke, and Levi Young, M.D., have been elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of Trustees, effective July 1. Scott Jackman has been elected as the new chair of Park University's Board of Trustees for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
In other appointments, Zonovia Crier, '03, was featured in a story that appeared in the Odessa (Texas) American on June 24, honoring her military service on Women Veterans Day on June 12. Shawn Dulohery, '88, was appointed as the head coach of the shooting sports program at Missouri Valley College.
Catrina Lloyd, '13, MPA '17, was appointed as the executive director of Asheville (N.C.) Watchdog, a nonprofit news organization. Siabhan May-Washington, '06, Ed.D., president at St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City, Mo., was announced as a member of the Kansas City Business Journal's 2025 class of Women of Influence in late May.
Adrian James, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Management and associate professor of management, presented a session on "Boost Morale for Faculty Engagement" at the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs conference in Las Vegas on June 21.
Barry Wilcox, adjunct instructor of sport and exercise science, won four gold medals during the spring Union Cycliste Internationale Paracycling Road World Cup events in Belgium and Italy, as reported on the U.S. Paralympics Cycling website on June 9.
Benny Lee, a member of Park University's Board of Trustees, was featured in the Kansas City Star on May 31 as part of a series of stories highlighting members of the Kansas City region from historically underrepresented communities and their impact on the area. Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., participated in a live, in-studio interview with KMBC-TV on June 26 to discuss the conflict between Iran and Israel and if peace is possible for the region.
In other news, Terry Calaway, Ed.D., has completed his term as chair of the Board of Trustees but will continue to serve as a trustee as immediate past chair. Jeff Ehrlich, Ed.D., and Mark Noe, Ph.D. have been granted professor emeritus status by the Board of Trustees.
Mallory Brown, '24 MPA, was featured in the Excelsior (Springs, Mo.) Citizen on June 8, following her appointment as the community development director in Excelsior Springs in February. Harris participated in a live interview on the "Midday with Jayme and Wier" program on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on June 24, discussing the current situation in Iran.
Upcoming Events: - July 10 - American Red Cross Blood Drive - July 18-20 - Bell Road Barn Players: "Fools" by Neil Simon - July 24 - Barstow (Calif.) Community College Campus Commencement Ceremony - July 25-27 - Bell Road Barn Players: "Fools" by Neil Simon - August 3 - Summer Session / Julymester Classes End - August 11 - Fall Semester / Fall I Term Begins - August 15 - Opening Convocation - August 23 - El Paso (Texas) Campus / Fort Bliss (Texas) Campus / Holloman Air Force Base (N.M.) Campus Commencement Ceremony - September 1 - Labor Day Holiday (all University offices nationwide closed; Parkville [Mo.] Campus and Gilbert [Ariz.] Campus daytime classes cancelled; Fall I classes held as scheduled) - September 26 - Official recognition of the Wall of Honor Class of 2025: Sherry (Faulconer) Bowmar, '05, Bob Kendrick, '85, and Erik Bergrud, MPA '94.
Education and self-development highlights in June included Adrian James, Ph.D., presenting a session on "Boost Morale for Faculty Engagement" at the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs conference. In general news, Matt Harris, Associate Professor of Political Science, was interviewed by multiple media outlets following the U.S. air strikes on Iran. Sports achievements were numerous, with Laurel Gagnon, '17, MM '19, winning the Dallas International Violin Competition, and the Parkville Campus women's beach volleyball team advancing to the national semifinals in the NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball National Invitational.
