2007 Fall Magazine

From the Oval 2 Tyler Research Center 14 Alumni News 29 Class Notes 31 Fall 2007 MAGAZINE Roy Jensen– PSU experience inspired cancer researcher You loved PSU as an undergrad… Why not consider one of the 50 Master’s and Specialist programs offered in Arts & Sciences, Education, Business or Technology? Grad School To Do List Check out over 50 programs on www.pittstate.edu/cgs Apply online Check out online classes Check out Gorilla Advantage Meet with advisor Enroll now! Call 620-235-4223 with any questions Office of Continuing and Graduate Studies 112 Russ Hall, 1701 S. Broadway Pittsburg, Ks 66762 • Fax: 620-235-4219 7/24/07 11:12:16 AM alumni ad 1 Vol. 15 No. 1 Fall 2007 Pittsburg State University www.pittstate.edu President Tom W. Bryant Vice President for University Advancement MAGAZINE J. Bradford Hodson Magazine Editorial Board Chairperson: Ron Womble 12 Kim Carlson Dr. Brenda Frieden, BS ’71, MS ’97 Eweleen Good, BS ’72, MS ’88 Dr. Brad Hodson, MBA ‘93 Ashley Lopez, undergraduate 16 Dr. Lynette Olson Gary Palmer, BS ‘96, BBA ’03 Scott Roberts Melinda Roelfs Johnna Schremmer, BBA ’02, MBA ’03 The Pitt State Magazine is produced by the PSU Office of Public Relations Ron Womble DIRECTOR Diane Hutchison 40 Cassie Mathes Becky May Features Departments Paulina O’Malley Malcolm Turner 12 2 Sondra Wood Roy Jensen From the Oval 14 Kansas Polymer 11 Events Calendar Research Center Pitt State Magazine, the official magazine 26 Athletics Update 16 of Pittsburg State University, is published Outstanding Seniors 29 for alumni and friends of the university. Alumni News Circulation: 51,000. College Update 31 Class Notes 40 Vol. 15 No. 1 Fall 2007 18 The Last Page EDITOR Ron Womble College of Arts & Sciences EDITORIAL Cassie Mathes, Ellen Carter 20 College of Business DESIGN Diane Hutchison 22 PHOTOGRAPHY Malcolm Turner College of Education 24 College of Technology For extra copies or additional information: PSU Public Relations Office 213 Russ Hall 1701 S. Broadway Pittsburg, Kansas 66762-7575 Welcome to the Pittsburg State University Magazine. For many of you, this is a familiar publication, but for many more, this is the first Telephone: 620-235-4122 time you have received this publication. We hope you enjoy the stories about the e-mail: [email protected] campus, students, faculty and alumni. We also hope you will give us your feedback. If there are stories you would like to see, let us know. If you have suggestions about how we can improve the magazine, we’d like to know that, too. Give us a call, drop us an e-mail or send us an old-fashioned note in the mail. – Ron Womble, editor FALL 2007 PITT STATE 1 FROM THE OVAL 2007 PSU Regardless of how they came to the Outstanding Faculty profession, this year’s PSU Outstanding Faculty agree on the satisfaction they get Three faculty who came to teaching on from teaching. very different paths were honored with “This is the most fulfilling career,” the 2007 Outstanding Faculty Award. Peterson said. “I have an opportunity For Brenda Letendre, who retires to change people’s lives – to encourage this year after 36 years in education, students to feel the same excitement I “Teaching was a way you could fulfill feel with ideas.” yourself as a woman.” Letendre is “My students breathe life into me,” an associate professor in the Special Potter added. “I like knowing I can Services and Leadership Studies make a difference. I’m blessed.” Department in Pittsburg State’s College Letendre quoted a quote from t-shirts of Education. “And it was fulfilling,” she many teachers wear, “I teach, I touch the added. future.” For Tysha Potter, a member of the The Outstanding Faculty Award is pleasing entrance to the dining hall,” faculty in the Department of Psychology presented annually by the PSU Student Stewart said. and Counseling, teaching was a matter Government Association. A student Another project that visiting alumni of “serendipity” although she came from committee selects the winners from a list and returning students will notice a family of teachers with strong ties to of nominees submitted by students. immediately is the replacement of the Pittsburg State University. university’s aging and visually dated “I really didn’t plan on being a exterior lighting. The old lights, which teacher,” Potter recalled. “A position Construction continues were a space-age circular design, had opened up that was temporary.” Potter The changing face of PSU become very expensive to repair and said she loved it from the start. maintain. The new lights are much more For 40 years, thousands of students For Mark Peterson, an assistant efficient and more closely fit in with the have sat in the hard plastic chairs in professor in the Department of Social main-campus architecture, Stewart said. two large lecture halls in Grubbs Hall. Sciences, higher education was the An added bonus was that with the help This summer, the rooms are undergoing family business. of the university’s Physical Plant, the old an amazing transformation. This fall, “Both my parents were university light poles were repainted and reused, students who have classes in Grubbs teachers,” Peterson said, “so I could see significantly reducing the cost of the 107 and 109 will find themselves in how important it was.” project. comfortable, well-lighted One major construction project is and technology rich almost at an end and another is on learning spaces. track for completion in 2008. The Tyler Paul Stewart, director Research Center, which will house the of Facilities Planning, scientists working in the Kansas Polymer said the work in Grubbs Research Center, will be dedicated on Hall is just one of several Sept. 21. projects the university Just a little north of the Tyler is rushing to complete Research Center, work continues on the over the summer months. Student Recreation Center/National Another project that Guard Armory Project, which will students will notice is a be completed in 2008. That $14.5 major renovation of the million project is a joint effort between space around the entrance the university and the Kansas Army to Gibson Dining Hall. OUTSTANDING FACULTY – National Guard. The university’s portion That project includes concrete and brick Tysha Potter, Mark Peterson and of the building will house the three pavers, planting beds, areas for seating Brenda Letendre. gymnasiums, a walking track and a and landscaping. fitness center as well as classrooms and “It will create much more visually 2 PITT STATE FALL 2007 FROM THE OVAL SPRUCING UP – PSU employees touch up the paint on new lights that were selected to complement the architecture of the main campus, far left. One major campus project is a plaza area and new entrance to Gibson Dining Hall, left. offices for the Department of Health, Last fall, a new Greek adviser, Travis began to emphasize re-commitment to Human Performance and Recreation and Smith arrived on campus. Smith, a the Greek values and promoting growth the Department of Military Science. member of Sigma Alpha Mu, holds a in the Greek Community. Stewart said that as these projects are bachelor’s degree from the University of The houses continued their strong completed, a whole host of work looms Miami (Fla.) and a master’s degree from philanthropic and community service on the horizon. Much of that will Eastern Illinois. efforts throughout the year and during involve the state’s efforts to address This past year, the Interfraternity Greek Week, the nine chapters raised issues of deferred maintenance on and Panhellenic Councils focused more than $2,300 for KVC Kids and the campuses across Kansas. This year, the on improving communication and Make-a-Wish Foundation. Legislature has earmarked more than connectivity among the Greek Good things are on the horizon for $13 million to be used for deferred organizations on campus and on the Greek community, Smith said, maintenance at PSU over the next improving academic success among their including the return of one long-time five years. Stewart said the university members. Their efforts yielded immediate fraternity. In the spring of 2008, Tau had identified more than $50 million success. The all-Greek GPA rose, the Kappa Epsilon (TKE), will be returning in needs, but the $13 million will be all-fraternity GPA for the spring was the to campus. a good start. At the top of the list highest since 2005 and the all-sorority For more on Greek life at PSU and is McCray Hall, which was built in GPA continues to exceed that of the the individual sororities and fraternities, 1929 and houses the university’s music undergraduate average. go the their Web site at www.pittstate. programs. Another building high on the Smith said that the IFC and PHC also edu/union/greek. list is Porter Hall, built in 1927 as the university’s library. Stewart said that while campus construction and renovation may at PULLING TOGETHER – times be inconvenient, the projects are Whether its having necessary for the university to be able to fun or raising money serve its educational mission. for their favorite charities, members Sororities, fraternities of the Greek chapters focus on improvement on campus put all their effort into the The Greek community continues to be project at hand. an important part of the campus life at Pittsburg State. This past year has brought a lot of change and a sense of renewal to the sororities and fraternities. FALL 2007 PITT STATE 3 FROM THE OVAL Program opens world of nature for youngsters It’s this kind of need Journalism that has Lister pioneer to Spending her days surrounded looking for a solution visit PSU by dozens of animals, birds, in the form of a Nature and insects at the PSU Reach endowment.

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