ParkUniversity_ClassNotes-ParkMourns_March2026

PA K UN I VERS

Class Notes | 2021-25

The following is a list of Park University alumni class notes dating back to 2021. The list was compiled from news reports and/or submissions. The class notes are correct as of the date of the report or submission. Should you wish to report a class note and/or provide an update, please send an e-mail to communication@park.edu.

1940s

Mary (Evans) Kibler, ’46, celebrated her 101st birthday on April 28, 2025. Kibler, a resident of Troy, Kan., was married to her husband, Bob, for 66 years before his death in 2016.

1950s

Thelma Jean Curl, ’50, believed to be the currently oldest living Park University graduate (as of August 2025), celebrated her 105th birthday on Aug. 2, 2025 , in Evansville, Ind. Curl joined the U.S. Navy in 1943, serving as a control tower specialist. After being discharged in 1945, she came to Park, graduating in 1950 before a long career as a history teacher.

1960s

Ed Sabin, x61, authored a self-published (Story Scribe Books) memoir, Searching for Life’s Purpose: Still Working on It, in April 2022. One chapter is related to his time while at Park University before transferring.

Gregory Raymond, ’68, Ph.D., a distinguished professor emeritus in political science at Boise (Idaho) State University, authored the book International Norms and the Resort to War (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021).

1970s

Donna Gittens, ’73, was elected as clerk of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts in April 2022. She also serves as co-chair of AIM’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee. Gittens is the principal and founder of MORE Advertising in Watertown, Mass.

SuEllen Fried, ’75, was honored by American Public Square in December 2023 with its Founder’s Civility Award, which honors the accomplishments of a remarkable leader who has demonstrated a commitment to bringing together Kansas City’s diverse community to engage in civil, fact-based dialogue. Fried passed away in October 2024.

Dennison Hamilton, ’76, M.D., joined Excelsior Springs (Mo.) Hospital in April 2025 as an interventional pain specialist.

Maxine Drew, ’76, was re-elected to a four-year term to serve on the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools Board of Education in November 2021.

Lou Leuzzi, ’76, authored the book Remake: The End of Manufacturing as We Know It, published in September 2022.

Cynthia Levin, ’77, retired in June 2024 as the producing artistic director of the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. Levin had been with the Unicorn Theatre since 1979.

John Sedler, ’78, was named the 2022 recipient of the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award during the Kansas City area’s annual DiRenna Awards event in April 2022 in Overland Park, Kan. Sedler’s career in high school education spanned 43 years (36 in Missouri and 7 in Kansas).

Baxter Allen, ’79, authored the book God’s Miracle at Dominguez, published in July 2022 (Christian Faith Publishing).

1980s

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Richard Geraci, ’80, serves as the president at Missouri Military Academy, an all-male, college preparatory military boarding school in Mexico, Mo. He was appointed to the role in February 2019. In March 2024, Geraci was appointed president of the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States executive committee for 2024-25.

G.L.A. Harris, ’80, Ph.D., was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Public Administration in November 2023. Harris is a senior associate dean and professor in the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Brian Maloney, ’81, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mo., in December 2023. Maloney, who played golf for Park University, served as the director of golf at Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield from 1994 to 2023.

Lisa McCormick, ’83, opened an online independent children’s bookstore, Typo’s, in November 2024. (https://bookshop.org/shop/typosbookstore). In October 2024, while serving as an investigative producer at KSHB-TV in Kansas City, was part of a team that won a Mid-America Region National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Award in the military news category for a story on “Remembering the Red Tails” that highlighted Tuskegee Airmen. In August 2024, she was part of a KSHB-TV team that won a Region 5 Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association in the continuing coverage category for a story on “Seized: Trail of Corruption” that was related to the August 2023 raid on the Marion County (Kan.) Record. That story also received an award from Investigative Reporters and Editors in April 2024 in the “investigations triggered by breaking news” category. In addition, McCormick’s KSHB-TV investigative team won two additional MARNATAS Emmys in October 2022 in the Investigative – Multiple Reports category for a story on “Protecting Athletes – An Olympic Failure?” and in the Military – News category for a story on “Honoring a Hero.”

Bob Kendrick, ’85, was recognized in February 2024 with the Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City, Mo., area) Foundation’s Alvin Brooks Kansas Citian Inspiration Award. The award recognizes good work and dedication to community betterment by promoting the values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In November 2022, Kendrick was the honoree to flip the switch for the Country Club Plaza’s (in Kansas City, Mo.) holiday lighting ceremony. In addition, he was featured in The Kansas City Star on Jan. 12, 2022, with a full front page photo and accompanying four-page story which calls him “Kansas City’s Ambassador.” Kendrick is the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Gayle Sheehy, ’85, authored Kids are Worth It: Let the Good Times Grow! that was published in May 2023. Sheehy, a retired Blue Springs (Mo.) School District kindergarten teacher, provides insights about parenting and teaching children in the book.

Stephen Mark Veazey, MA ’85, retired in March 2023 as the Community of Christ president-prophet.

Jerry Schnelker, ’86, is the senior vice president and credit manager at Gulf Coast Business Bank based in Fort Myers, Fla.

Nigel Sutton, ’87, was appointed senior vice president of business development at Artel LLC, a supplier of classified secure government connectivity based in Herndon, Va., in July 2022. ambassadors

Shawn Dulohery, ’88, was appointed as the head coach of the shooting sports program at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., in June 2025. Dulohery was a member of the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympics team in Athens, Greece, where he placed fifth in men’s skeet shooting.

Gary Henry, ’89, and a member of Park University’s Board of Trustees, who serves as vice president, head of U.S. corporate, SBS and commercial services for American Express, led a team honored with an AmEx 2023 Edward P. Gilligan Award for Innovation.

1990s

Jeff Chaltas, ’90, authored an electronic book, The Dictionary of Human Resources and Employment Law Acronyms, published in March 2023.

Vern Curtis, ’90, D.C., authored the book, Forgiveness: The Vehicle for the Road to Your Faith, Your Health, Your Future, Your Salvation, published in March 2025.

Altheria Ford, ’90, was appointed as an English language development teacher at Hopewell Elementary School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District in August 2022.

Sue (Ficken) Hart, ’90, was inducted into the Lee’s Summit (Mo.) High School Hall of Fame in April 2022.

Francis Itimai, ’90, was elected as the lieutenant governor of Yap state within the Federated States of Micronesia in November 2023

Dennis Lewis, ’90, was appointed chief executive officer of U.S. operations for Balluff, a sensor specialist and system provider based in Florence, Ky., in March 2022, with headquarters in Neuhausen, Germany.

Anthony Melchiorri, ’90, who serves as host and executive producers of the “Hotel All-Stars” and “Hotel Impossible” television series, was appointed chief strategy officer of Colwen Hotels in June 2024.

Gustav Aitaro, ’91, was appointed minister of state for the Republic of Palau in September 2021.

Gloria Jackson-Leathers, ’91, was appointed as senior advisor of community engagement at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Mo., in March 2024. In May 2025, Jackson-Leathers was honored by Nonprofit Connect with its Nonprofit Catalyst (Staff Member –Large Organization) Award.

Myles Perry, ’91, J.D., was appointed in December 2023 by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson as a circuit judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit that serves Platte County, Mo. He previously served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Platte County.

Ken Sissom, ’91, announced his retirement in October 2021 after 40 years of serving the city of Merriam, Kan. He was first hired as a Merriam police officer in 1979 and served as chief of police from 1992 to 2005. Sissom was then elected as mayor of Merriam in 2009 and served three terms.

Tammi Warfield, ’91, was elected in May 2024 to a two-year term (beginning Fall 2024) as chair of the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering Executive Leadership Board. Warfield serves as the global vice president of Microsoft Azure cloud sales at NetApp.

Vicque Ebentheuer, ’92, was appointed in March 2023 as the marketing manager at Aviation Specialties Unlimited, a Boise, Idaho, based organization that serves first responders and civilian operators with night vision imaging systems.

Mary Lou Jaramillo, ’92, MPA ’96, was recognized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City in July 2022 during the organization’s Nuestra Latina Awards with a lifetime achievement award.

Bret Simmons, ’92, Ph.D., is associate professor and chair of management at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sean Valentine, ’92, D.B.A., co-authored the 16th edition of the book Human Resource Management, published in March 2023. Valentine is a professor of management and the Robert Page Endowed Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the University of North Dakota.

Mike Albers, ’93, was appointed vice president and general manager of REV Group, which includes specialty vehicle manufacturer Horton Emergency Vehicles, in August 2022. Albers oversees Horton’s manufacturing facility, aftermarket parts, service and REV Remount Center in Grove City, Ohio.

Constance Johnson-Cage, ’93, is a federal coordinating officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Field Leadership Cadre and serves as the lead field coordinator for FEMA Region 7’s headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.

Ibraheem Suberu, ’93, was inducted into the 2023 class of the Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame at Pittsburg (Kan.) State University in October 2023. Suberu was the longest-tenured and winningest women’s volleyball coach in PSU history from 19992013.

Jan Zimmerman, ’93, MPA ’97, was honored with the 2021 Donald “Red” Loehr Outstanding Police Chief award by the Missouri Police Chiefs Association during its annual conference in May 2022. She was the first female in the history of the MPCA to receive the award. Zimmerman retired in August 2022 as the chief of police for Raymore, Mo.

Erik Bergrud, MPA ’94, was appointed senior vice president of public policy with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce in August 2024. Bergrud previously served as Park University’s chief strategic communications officer.

David Dodson, ’94, was appointed senior vice president and division credit officer at Simmons Bank in Memphis, Tenn., in May 2022.

Glenn Hogue, ’94, MPA ’15, was appointed as an executive support specialist in the Office of the Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, in Washington, D.C., in March 2022.

Carolyn Kennedy, ’94, Ph.D., was appointed as the special populations coordinator for the Clarksville-Montgomery County (Tenn.) School System in January 2022. She previously served as an assistant principal at Northeast High School in Clarksville.

Michael Morrison, ’94, was honored with the Ralph W. Adams Jr. Supplier Diversity Trailblazer Award by the Indiana Department of Administration’s Division of Supplier Diversity in October 2023. Morrison, who serves as the director of procurement and risk management at Vincennes University, was recognized for transforming VU’s procurement landscape by fostering an inclusive environment that empowers underrepresented suppliers and businesses.

Gary Parker, ’94, was recognized as the South Sound (Tacoma, Wash., region) magazine’s Citizen of the Year in May 2024. Parker, owner of BBQ2U in Gig Harbor, Wash., was honored for his efforts to feeding and giving back to the community.

Sophia Pretrick, ’94, was appointed as program director for the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions in January 2025. Pretrick is based in the Federated States of Micronesia. An experienced fraud investigator, Pretrick previously served as a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime transnational organized crime program officer.

Tony Taylor, ’94, D.M., was appointed in June 2024 by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council. Taylor is the owner of Practical Project Solutions.

Ron Griffin, ’95, was named the 2025 Pike County (Ga.) Veteran of the Year by the Pike County American Legion Post 197 in November 2025.

Patrick Lenz, ’95, was promoted from general manager to president and chief operating officer of Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. in July 2022.

Jefferson Roblee, ’95, was appointed as the head coach of the women’s soccer team at Kansas City Kansas Community College in February 2025.

Kevin Seeley, ’95, is the vice president of strategic programs on military health at General Dynamics Information Technology in Fairfax, Va.

James Snyder, ’95, retired in October 2021 as the district fire chief with the 788th Civil Engineer Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Pedro Anes, ’96, received a 2024 Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania during a ceremony in December 2024. The multimedia news organization honored Anes for his decades of work advancing diversity, education and community engagement across the state.

Shannon Jenkins, ’96, was appointed principal at Mallory Early Childhood Center in the Springfield (Mo.) Public Schools district in March 2024, effective with the start of the 2024-25 academic year. Jenkins previously served as director of early childhood at the Grain Valley (Mo.) Early Childhood Center.

Thomas LaFontaine, ’96, works as a Department of the Army systems coordinator supporting the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation. He worked for the Army for 39 years, including 15 years as a Department of the Army civilian and 24 years on active duty before retiring as a chief warrant officer 4 missile system electronics technician.

Tim Byers, ’97, was appointed as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s track and field programs at Emporia State University in September 2025. He previously served as meet director for the University of Kansas track and field programs since August 2022.

Brig. Gen. John Eberlan, ’97, is commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

Col. Aaron Guill, ’97, was appointed deputy commander of the Air Force District of Washington, headquartered at Joint Base Andrews, Md.

James Simpson, MPA ’97, retired as the chief of police in Liberty, Mo., in July 2022. He spent 37 years with the Liberty Police Department, the last 11 years as its chief.

Rick Smith, ’97, retired as the chief of police in Kansas City, Mo., in April 2022.

Craig Roberts, ’97, ME ’03, was appointed in January 2024 as the head technical director of the Liverpool FC International Academy based in Issaquah, Wash.

Greg Volker, MPA ’97, was appointed chief of police in Benson, Ariz., in May 2022.

Erin Bradley, ’98, was appointed chief people officer in April 2022 at Foley Equipment in Kansas City, Mo.

John Fierro, ’98, MPA ’01, was honored by William Jewell College in September 2022 with the William F. Yates Medallion for Distinguished Service. In July 2023, he was appointed to the Kansas City, Mo., Public Improvements Advisory Council.

Travis Forbes, ’98, serves as the chief of police in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Antoine Lee, ’98, MBA ’00, was appointed to the Missouri Charter Public School Commission by Gov. Mike Parson in September 2021.

Maury Thompson, MPA ’98, was appointed as the Yavapai County (Ariz.) administrator in December 2022.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Debra Woods, ’98, was installed as commander of American Legion Post 515 in Douglas, Ga., in August 2024.

Jason Fewin, ’99, owner of the Parkville (Mo.) Frame Gallery, opened The Fusion, an art showcase space within the business in December 2024.

Col. Matthew Heintzelman, ’99, is the commander of the 302nd Mission Support Group at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.

Charles “Adam” Ledford, ’99, was appointed city manager for the City of Norris, Tenn., in September 2022.

Rodney Merritt, ’99, D.C., is a chiropractor and is the owner of Merritt Chiropractic and Wellness in Hilliard, Ohio.

Scott Phipps, ’99, was appointed men’s soccer head coach at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Ky., in April 2022 after serving the previous seven years at Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia.

Jeremy Willmoth, ’99, MPA ’06, was appointed the first chief financial officer for the Mid-Continent Public Library system that serves patrons in Clay, Platte and Jackson counties in Missouri, with headquarters in Independence, Mo.

2000s

Shane Callahan, ’00, was appointed Vanderbilt University’s chief information officer in April 2024. He had been VU’s first chief information security officer since January 2022.

Heber Cardoso, ’00, MBA ’04, was appointed chief executive officers of MS Holdings, a conglomerate of integrated international financial solutions and services based in Curitiba, Brazil, in October 2021.

Jacqueline Clark, MPA ’00, was recognized by the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in August 2022 as its PR Person of the Year. Clark is a government relations and public affairs director at HolcimUS. In October 2024, Clark was honored by the Midwest District of the Public Relations Society of America as a recipient of the organization’s Platinum Award, which celebrates achievements in furthering the practice of public relations, demonstrating outstanding leadership and contributions to the profession and PRSA.

Laura Collier, ’00, was promoted from chief operating officer to president at Penstock Group, a healthcare payment integrity and reimbursement company based in Collinsville, Conn., in January 2022.

recognition

Kari Rowe, ’00, a second grade teacher at Line Creek Elementary School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District, was selected in April 2024 as the Blue KC Sporting Samaritan, an initiative by Major League Soccer team Sporting Kansas City and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City that highlights students and teachers who make the KC community a better place to live work and play.

Liz Sharp, ’00, ME ’17, was appointed assistant principal at her high school alma mater, St. Pius X High School in Kansas City, Mo., effective with the start of the 2024-25 academic year.

Steve Deere, ’01, was appointed in July 2024 as chief executive officer of R-G Federal Credit Union based in Raymore, Mo.

Tamekia Green-Judge, ’01, authored the book One in a Million Faith – Saved by Grace that was published in August 2021. The memoir tells the harrowing tale of fighting an illness that seemed to hit her out of nowhere and changed her life forever, and it’s a devotional that leads readers on a 30-day journey to inspire faith to be healed when the chances seem impossible.

Levi Young, ’01, M.D., a plastic surgeon in Leawood, Kan., was elected in July 2025 to serve a three-year term on Park University’s Board of Trustees.

Capt. Clifford Collins Jr., ’02, is the chief of staff and commanding officer flag unit with the Naval Education and Training Command, based in Pensacola, Fla.

Daryl Davis, ’02, was appointed as vice president and government market development lead for Hanson Professional Services, a consulting firm providing engineering, planning and allied services, based in Springfield, Ill.

Yumi Hernandez-Hohm, ’02, was appointed in August 2024 as senior marketing coordinator at the St. Louis headquarters of KAI, a planning, engineering and construction firm.

Jason Hughes, ’02, was promoted to the role of director of programs at SRC, a nonprofit research and development company based in Syracuse, N.Y.

David Jackson, ’02, was appointed chief of police in Englewood, Colo., in November 2024.

Mark Thomas, ’02, was appointed as the police chief in Kearney, Mo., in August 2024.

Christina Wright, ME ’02, was appointed superintendent of the Moberly (Mo.) School District in January 2023.

Alexa Barton, ’03, MPA ’07, was appointed city administrator for Parkville, Mo., in February 2022.

Alisha Blackwelder, ’03, was appointed director of philanthropy at Drumm Farm Center for Children in Independence, Mo., in March 2025. She previously served as executive director of the Main Street Parkville (Mo.) Association.

Adam Brakefield, ’03, was appointed as the control systems engineer at American Crystal Sugar Company’s Crookston, Minn., factory in October 2023.

Angela Bright, ’03, was appointed in December 2024 by the Park Hill (Mo.) School District to be the assistant principal at Graden Elementary School for the start of the 2025-26 academic year. She previously served as principal at Orrick (Mo.) Elementary School.

Jeremy Gauthier, ’03, was appointed director of the Coast Guard Investigative Service in September 2022.

Seth Marshall, ’03, was promoted to market director for PNC Private Bank in northern Indiana in January 2022. He also serves as a councilman for the City of Huntington, Ind.

Benay Shannon, MAT ’03, was named to the Kansas City Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Class of 2023 in May 2023. In addition, her company, North Kansas City, Mo.-based Restless Spirits Distilling Co., won two medals at the 2022 New York International Spirits Competition in June — a double gold medal for its GullyTown 6-year-old Irish style single malt whiskey and a silver medal for a new expression of its Builders Botanical gin. In April 2023, Restless Spirits added two golds at the Denver International Spirits Competition for its GullyTown American single malt and its GullyTown straight American single malt.

Silya (Siniawski) Shaw, ’03, JD, who serves as the deputy director of the Legal Aid of Western Missouri, was selected in 2024 as the first recipient of the Villanova University Graduate Tax Program’s Caritas Scholarship. The scholarship was established to benefit tax professionals who work with underserved populations in the public interest sector.

Alicia Stephens, ’03, was recognized by the Platte County (Mo.) Economic Development Council in December 2022 as the inaugural winner of its Legacy Award. The award honors individuals who have dedicated their career to the community and the PCEDC.

Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Jeffery Stitzel, ’03, was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor in November 2021.

Vance Thomas, ’03, is the director of warranty and technical services at Nichiha USA, a company that provides building materials and services to the building community, based in Johns Creek, Ga.

George Vial, ’03, is the wine, beer and spirits sales manager for Adforce Transport Services based in Leawood, Kan., and an Irish whiskey educator for Browne’s Irish Marketplace in Kansas City, Mo.

Brian Webster, MA ’03, was appointed assistant principal at Kearney (Mo.) Middle School in June 2022. He previously served 15 years as a 6th grade math teacher at KMS.

Orlando Ashworth, ’04, was appointed in October 2024 as chief people officer for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, based in Rye Brook, N.Y.

Casey Bradley, ’04, was appointed as the Sheboygan, Wis., city administrator in October 2023. He previously served as the city administrator in Baraboo, Wis.

Jarrod Brogdon, ’04, was appointed as the network services director for the Colquitt County (Ga.) School District in June 2022. He previously served as the chief information officer at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

Barbara Graham, ’04, was appointed senior vice president of the Navy business unit at Science Applications International Corp. based in Reston, Va., in March 2023.

Richard Hutchinson, ’04, was appointed as director of transportation for Pitt County (N.C.) Schools in October 2022.

Perry Martin, ’04, was appointed dean of diversity, equity, inclusion and transformation at the University of West Los Angeles (Calif.) in August 2022.

Alyssa Clemsen Roberts, ’04, was appointed as general manager of Dawson Public Power, a publicly-owned electric utility in south central Nebraska in March 2025. She previously served as president and chief executive officer for the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative.

Michael Collins, ’04, a past chair of Park University’s Board of Trustees, started his own commercial real estate venture, Grayson Capital, an investment, development and advisory company in Kansas City, Mo.

Tracie Brown, ’05, is the director of operations for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.

Lauren Harlan, ’05, was appointed in June 2024 as manager of operations and logistics for Agenda: USA, an accredited destination management company based in Mission, Kan.

Amber Kahler, ’05, was appointed principal of Line Creek Elementary School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District in February 2025.

Chauncey Lane, ’05, J.D., was appointed a partner in the Dallas office of the Holland & Knight law firm, where he will structure and negotiate complex transactions in the technology and financial services industries.

D’Ann Miller, ’05, was appointed as the impact officer for the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society – Friends of the Refuge, a nonprofit that supports conservation, wildlife and habitat protection based in Sanibel, Fla.

Rochelle Miller-Hernandez, ’05, was appointed to the New Mexico Tourism Commission by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in August 2025. Miller-Hernandez is the executive director of Visit Las Cruces (N.M.).

Elizabeth (Weese) Muncal, ’05, was appointed chief development officer at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (Ariz.) in May 2024.

Chief Master Sgt. Jennifer Nalls, ’05, serves as the chief enlisted manager, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Air Force Materiel Command, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Cedric Patterson, ’05, was named Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services Civilian Fire Officer of the Year in February 2022. Patterson serves at CNRMA Fire and Emergency Services, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va., as the assistant fire chief responsible for overseeing and coordinating emergency services delivered across five military installations.

Joel Presley, ’05, was appointed executive director of the Georgia Department of Community Health’s State Office of Rural Health division in February 2024. Presley oversees SORH programs that primarily disburse grant funding to address healthcare disparities and support the financial viability of Georgia’s rural hospitals.

Chief Master Sgt. Nina Reiss, ’05, was appointed in September 2025 as the industry liaison for the National Guard Association of the United States, based in Washington, D.C.

Gustavo Rocha, ’05, was promoted to the position of associate head coach for the University of Southern California’s beach volleyball program in July 2023. Earlier in the year, Rocha was honored as the 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association’s National Assistant Coach of the Year.

Kimberly (Sayers) Bartosch, ’06, authored the book Ask the Girl, published in September 2022 by Woodhall Press. The book, set in Parkville, Mo. (home of Park University’s flagship campus), is a murder-mystery/ghost story for young adults that helps teach life lessons about sisterhood, forgiveness, grief, mental health and coping with bipolar disorder.

Lt. Col. Caleb Eames, ’06, MPA ’15, assumed command of Region 7 (North and West Africa), Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, in July 2023.

1st Sgt. Ernesto Febus, ’06, was appointed to the board of directors for the Young Marines, a national youth organization, in January 2024.

Siabhan May-Washington, ’06, Ed.D., president of St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Mo., was honored in August 2025 as a member of the Kansas City Business Journal’s 2025 class of Women of Influence.

service

Shannon McConico, ’06, was promoted to vice president for enrollment management at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in September 2021.

Stephen Powell, MPA ’06, was appointed city clerk for the City of Leawood, Kan., in March 2022. Powell previously served as deputy city manager for the City of Shawnee, Kan.

Merideth Rose, ’06, MPA ’08, was appointed president and chief operating officer of Cornerstones of Care, a community services organization based in Kansas City, Mo., in July 2022. In September 2022, Rose was recognized by the City of Independence, Mo., as the 2022 Susan Paxton Block Award recipient for her volunteer work leading emergency service efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and as a member of the city’s Human Relations Commission. In addition, she was recognized as a Woman of Distinction in November 2022 by The Examiner (newspaper in Independence). In May 2023, Rose was recognized by the Kansas City Royals to sit in the Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat, which honors individuals who impact the community. In May 2024, Rose was honored by the Kansas City Business Journal as part of the Women Who Mean Business Class of 2024. In July 2024, Rose was elected to serve a three-year term on Park University’s Board of Trustees.

Denzil Ross, ’06, MBA ’09, was appointed chief executive officer of Northwest Healthcare’s Northwest Medical Center Houghton in Tucson, Ariz., in January 2022. In December 2022, Ross was honored by the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce during the organization’s annual 40 Under 40 Awards.

Carolyn Ward, ’06, was selected by the New Bern (N.C.) Woman’s Club as its 2023 Citizen of the Year in November 2023. This honor is given to recognize a citizen who has made outstanding contributions in making the New Bern community a better place.

Justin Bocock, ’07, authored the book On Call — Case Files from a Career in Homicide: What Every Investigator Should Know that was published in September 2025. Bocock retired from the Mesa (Ariz.) Police Department in 2021.

Marion Engelke, ’07, made history at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in September 2024 when she became the first woman to score a win in the United States Touring Car Championship, winning the sportsman class.

Daniel Montoya, ’07, was appointed as the first-ever principal of the Dr. Josefina Villamil Tinajero school in the El Paso (Texas) Independent School District, effective August 2022. The pre-kindergarten through 8th grade school opened after the consolidation two schools, including the middle school Montoya served as principal.

Sarah Hopkins-Chery, ’07, MA ’09, was appointed head coach of the women’s basketball team at California State University, Monterey Bay, in June 2022. She had previously served as the women’s basketball head coach at the University of California, Merced, the previous seven years. In December 2025, Hopkins-Chery was appointed as the head coach of England’s 3x3 women’s basketball team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Victoria Lakey, ’07, authored the book Love in Big Timber: A Big Timber Romance, published in December 2022 by Page Publishing.

Shayla Marshall, ’07, was appointed as the new judge for the Kansas City, Mo., Municipal Court effective February 1, 2023. Marshall previously served as a state public defender.

Ashley Richter, ’07, Ed.D., earned her Doctor of Education degree in education and leadership from Rockhurst University in August 2022.

Vlatko Andonovski, ’08, was appointed head coach and sporting director of the Kansas City Current in the National Women’s Soccer League in October 2023. In November 2025, Andonovski announced he was stepping away from the head coaching role to become solely the club’s sporting director. The former head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team was also selected by FIFA to the second edition of its Coach Mentorship Program in May 2022.

Dustin Binnicker, ’08, Ed.D., was appointed assistant superintendent of advanced academics and pathways for the Leander (Texas) Independent School District in August 2024. Binnicker previously served as assistant superintendent of learning in the Waxahachie (Texas) ISD.

Dwayne Briscoe, ’08, Ed.D., earned his Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from Liberty University in April 2022. He is currently an inventory management supply planner with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Aerospace Fuel Division. Command Master Chief Lateef Compton, ’08, was appointed to be the fleet master chief for U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa in September 2024.

Aimee Dietsch, ’08, was appointed in November 2021 to the Board of Directors of For All Seasons, a nonprofit behavioral health and rape crisis center that serves five counties in Maryland.

Gilda Gil, ’08, was appointed as the chief executive officer of the YMCA of El Paso (Texas) in September 2025.

Ashley McCunniff, ’08, MBA ’22, was appointed as the state coordinator for the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Crisis Intervention Team in July 2023. She serves as a supervisor of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department’s CIT unit.

Shannon McPherson, ’08, was appointed in September 2021 as director of Kingdom Ministries’ Faith Maternity Care of Mid-Missouri in Fulton, Mo.

Capt. Tyler Mohr, ’08, was appointed commander of the 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., during a ceremony in December 2025. He previously served as director of operations for the 919th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at Duke Field, Fla.

Crispin Rea, ’08, was elected to the Kansas City, Mo., City Council in June 2023. Rea, an assistant prosecuting attorney in Jackson County, Mo., became the first Latino elected to the city council since 1991.

Tara Smiley, ’08, is the director of development and a partner of Drake Development and Drake Health in Overland Park, Kan.

Donovan Williams, ’08, was appointed men’s basketball assistant coach at Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, Okla.) in April 2025. He previously served as director of recruiting at the University of South Florida.

Eric Clemenson, ’09, was appointed as director of commercial lending at NBKC Bank in Kansas City, Mo., in September 2024.

Alexandria (John) Drake, ’09, was appointed in December 2025 as senior counsel at Singleton Schreiber law firm in Spokane, Wash.

Vanna Easley, ME ’09, was appointed in January 2024 to serve as the principal for Angeline Washington Elementary School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District starting support

in the 2025-26 academic year. She previously served as principal at Graden Elementary in the PHSD.

Terry Emerson, ’09, in November 2024, was appointed president and chief operating officer of Mammoth Holdings LLC, a company that operates 150 conveyor car washes under various brand names across the country. He previously served as senior vice president of Express Oil Change and Tire Engineers.

Sherry Lawdermilt, ’09, MBA ’15, PhD., was appointed as associate vice president and chief information officer at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., in June 2023.

Marisa Martinez, ’09, MPA ’22, was appointed as community development advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in March 2024.

Nick McCabe, ’09, was a part of the Apple TV production of two Major League Soccer shows in conjunction with Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami in July 2023.

Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Moore, ’09, was appointed as the 14th command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard in January 2025, based at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Bettina Mrusek, ’09, MBA ’11, Ph.D., was appointed dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide (based in Daytona Beach, Fla.) in January 2025.

Jeanette Prenger, ’09, a former chair of Park University’s Board of Trustees, was named to the “Top 50 Women Leaders of Missouri” in both 2024 and 2025 by Women We Admire. She also served a term as chair of the Visit KC Board of Directors. Prenger is the founder, chief executive officer and president of ECCO Select, a talent acquisition and consulting company based in Kansas City, Mo.

Rhiannon Scherer, ’09, MS ’21, is the founding advisor and chief executive officer at Pallo, a financial management solution for the self-employed.

Lindsay Senger, ’09, was appointed director of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic with Northeastern Center in northeastern Indiana in March 2025. Jay Wilson, MPA ’09, was appointed senior director of partner development at EAB in August 2025. He previously served roles as chief advancement officer at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo., and president and chief executive officer at the University of South Dakota Foundation.

2010s

Jose Estrella, ’10, was appointed district chief of the Boston Fire Department in January 2023.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Marcus Gilbert, ’10, MBA ’13, is the lead inspector in the Inspection Division within the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Milan Ivanovic, ’10, was appointed as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League in January 2024.

Scott Lokke, ’10, was appointed as general manager of Rush Street Gaming’s Rivers Casino Philadelphia in July 2025.

Shawn Ollis, ’10, was appointed as market president for the southern New Mexico and west Texas region at Nusenda Credit Union, based in Albuquerque, N.M., in July 2025.

Justin Pecoroni, ’10, was appointed senior business unit manager of industrial and engineered systems at Franklin Electric Co. based in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Lisa (Tiesing) Pruetting, ’10, was appointed product manager at Kansas City, Mo., based Midland Radio in October 2022.

Gary Turner, ’10, is the chief delivery officer at Aeyon, a Vienna, Va., based business and management consulting firm that serves federal and civilian governments.

Joseph Villalba Jr., ’10, Ph.D., was appointed as the executive director of procurement and school resources for the El Paso (Texas) Independent School District in May 2022. He previously served as the director of purchasing and warehouse operations for the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District in Baytown, Texas.

Grayson Wells, ’10, was appointed as an attorney at the law firm Stranch, Jennings & Garvey in Nashville, Tenn., in June 2024, and in December 2025 was elevated to member. He specializes in complex civil litigation, including data breach, and privacy class actions.

Robert Curtis, ’11, was appointed IT leader at Danbury (Conn.) Mission Technologies in September 2022.

dedication

Chief Master Sgt. Sarah Faith, ’11, was appointed command chief of the 310th Space Wing at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo., in October 2023.

Pearl Gordon, ’11, was elected as the 2024-25 state president for the American Legion Department of Arkansas Auxiliary during the organization’s state convention in June 2024. Gordon’s husband, Antoine, was elected as the state commander of the American Legion Department of Arkansas, marking just the third time in the history of the ALDA that a husband-and-wife team was elected to lead the state’s largest veteran’s organization.

Matthew Harris, ’11, was appointed chief information officer at Rogers Behavioral Health, based in Oconomowoc, Wis., in August 2025.

Jenny Johnston, ’11, was appointed president of the Northland (Kansas City, Mo.) Regional Chamber of Commerce in September 2021.

Nick Lambert, ’11, the public affairs officer with the Huber Heights, Ohio, Police Department, was honored with the 2022 Ed Hart Memorial Service Award by the Huber Heights Chamber of Commerce in March 2023. He also recently authored a children’s book, A Fun Week at the Police Department, that was published on Kickstarter.

Alexis Michael, ’11, was appointed as president and chief executive officer at First Texas Bank Georgetown in October 2023. She was selected as an “Emerging Leader” by the Texas Bankers Foundation in 2021.

Janet Ostrander, MBA ’11, was appointed as assistant director for scholarship management at the University of Utah in December 2025, after having served as assistant director of departmental and external scholarships. Ostrander previously served Park University as senior director of campus center operations.

Stephenie Price, ’11, was appointed chief of police for the city of Beaufort, S.C., in May 2024. She previously served as interim chief since January 2024 and as deputy chief since February 2023.

Lisa Reynolds, ’11, was appointed as an assistant city manger for Independence, Mo., in June 2024.

Melissa Thomas, ’11, was appointed principal of Alice W. Douse Elementary School in the Killeen (Texas) Independent School District in August 2025.

Scott Abbott, ’12, was promoted to prison division administrator with the Wyoming Department of Corrections in November 2022. He previously served as deputy administrator since 2008.

Vini Baigan, ’12, MBA ’15, was appointed assistant coach/recruiting coordinator for the Georgia Tech women’s volleyball team in April 2023.

Cooper Bayiha, ’12, MA ’16, was appointed as the boys basketball head coach at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., in June 2025.

Jessica Carter, ’12, was appointed director of the Lowcountry Graduate Center in January 2023. The LGC is a South Carolina state-funded organization dedicated to promoting graduate-level education and professional development at the College of Charleston.

Lauren Montgomery Gist, ’12, was honored by the Kansas City (Mo.) Police Department in July 2024 with a Life-Saving Award. In February 2024, Montgomery Gist, a detective in the KCPD’s Domestic Violence Unit, and another officer heard screams while leaving a hospital, then saw two parents frantic over their baby who was choking. She took the baby and gave back blows until the baby started breathing again. In April 2025, Montgomery Gist was promoted to sergeant and moved to the KCPD’s East Patrol.

Rudy Harper, ’12, launched Real Solutions RS, a media, marketing and strategic management consulting company in July 2023.

Sunnat Ibragimov, ’12, MM ’15, became a naturalized U.S. citizen prior to a Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer) match in July 2022, then performed the National Anthem with his cello.

Zabrina Kelley, ME ’12, was appointed in July 2025 as the girls volleyball head coach at Talkington School for Young Women Leaders in the Lubbock (Texas) Independent School District.

Casi Joy (McCall) Lankford, ’12 (who goes by the stage name Casi Joy), had a new album, “Miles and Maybes” released in March 2023.

Edna Martinson, ’12, was named to the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the education category in November 2022. Martinson, who was recipient of the Park University Alumni Association’s Park Promising Young Professional Award in 2021 started Boddle Learning, an education technology organization with a mission to help kids grow their love for learning so that they can build a brighter future, in 2018 with her husband.

Robert Palmer, ’12, in February 2024, Palmer, a defender for the Kansas City Comets in the Major Arena Soccer League, became the MASL’s record-holder for career blocks. In April 2024, Palmer was named MASL Defender of the Year and to the MASL Elite Six.

Touria Pratt, MAT ’12, was appointed in March 2024 as the assistant principal at Park Hill High School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. She previously served as assistant principal at Northeast High School in Kansas City, Mo.

Shah Sadikov, ’12, was appointed as the assistant conductor and community ambassador for the Edmonton (Canada) Symphony Orchestra in December 2025.

Brent Townsend, ’12, was promoted in April 2024 to vice president and general manager of the Nashville, Tenn., office of MMC Contractors, a Kansas City, Mo. based commercial contractor in mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. He previously served as an operations manager for the organization.

Stephanie Bowerson, ’13, was honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery in April 2024. Bowerson, a high school English teacher at DeWitt (Mich.) High School, received a $2,000 cash prize.

Phillip Hayes, ’13, was appointed as the head coach for the varsity boys soccer and girls soccer teams at Milan (Mich.) High School in December 2022. In June 2023, Hayes was selected as the Monroe County (Mich.) Region Girls Soccer Coach of the Year by The Monroe News sports staff.

excellence

Kelvin Igumbor, ’13, MPA ’15, J.D., was elected to the board of directors for the International Relations Council in January 2022. Igumbor is a corporate manager for employee and labor relations for the Dairy Farmers of America.

Catrina Lloyd, ’13, MPA ’17, was appointed as the executive director of Asheville (N.C.) Watchdog, a nonprofit news organization, in May 2025.

Brittanie Propes, ’13, was appointed as the first-ever parks and recreation director for the City of Parkville, Mo., in August 2022. In June 2023, Propes became the first woman in Missouri to receive the certified park and recreation executive certification from the National Recreation and Park Association.

Rachel Dryden Steratore, ’13, was announced as a 2023 National Science Foundation / Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation Ocean Decade Champion in October 2023. Her work with the NSF Coastlines and People program focuses on critically important coastline and community research that integrates natural, social and technological processes toward a mission of coastal resilience. Steratore, a policy research with the RAND Corporation, will be an active participant in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Capt. Gregory Tiner, ’13, is the chief of staff and commanding officer of the Flag Unit with the Naval Education and Training Command, Pensacola, Fla.

Steve Wilson, MPA ’13, was appointed as the director of athletics communications with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in February 2025. Previously, Wilson served as vice president of student engagement and intercollegiate athletics at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo.

Mike Ekey, MPA ’14, was appointed as assistant city manager of economic development and community engagement for the city of Belton, Mo., in September 2023. In July 2024, Ekey was elected as vice chair of Engaging Local Government Leaders, a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage the brightest minds in local government.

Triumfia Houmbie Fulks, ’14, was announced as a winner of $50,000 as part of Launch KC’s grants competition in November 2023. She also received $13,000 as part of a Pure Pitch Rally event in Kansas City in August 2023. In addition, Fulks was selected as a 2024 Pipeline Fellow as part of the network’s Fellowship and Pathfinder Program. Fulks

founded codeAlgo Academy, which uses gamification to teach coding skills to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Theresa Garza, MPA ’14, was elected to the Raytown (Mo.) Board of Aldermen in April 2023 to serve a four-year term. In July 2022, Garza was recognized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City during the organization’s Nuestra Latina Awards in the military/law enforcement category.

Eric Henderson, ’14, was appointed as deputy director and assistant chief of the Dayton (Ohio) Police Department in January 2022.

Chief Warrant Officer Corey Hill, ’14, retired in May 2022 from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineer Research Laboratory in Champaign, Ill., where he served as CWO advisor and associate technical director.

Joshua Lewis, ’14, co-founded Kin Seltzer in 2023, the first Black-owned seltzer in the Kansas City region.

Jolene Mead, ’14, was promoted to the role of chief of staff for Port KC in Kansas City, Mo., in January 2025. Mead previously served as director of people and operations.

David Radzynski, ’14, was appointed as the first coordinated concertmaster of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany in August 2025.

Mike Stolte, ’14, was promoted to chief of the Maryville (Mo.) Police Department in July 2024. Stolte had served as the interim chief since January 2024.

Katherine Vergos, MHA ’14, was appointed president of Dignity Health’s Las Vegas market and president/chief executive officer of Dignity Health’s Siena Hospital Campus in Henderson, Nev., in May 2024.

Pamela Xaverius, MBA ’14, ME ’17, was appointed as the vice president of research and scholarly activity at University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis in March 2022.

Master Gunnery Sgt. Nathan Davilmar, ’15, serves as the senior enlisted advisor –Marine Detachment – Naval School of Music based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia Beach, Va.

Jessica (Crane) Disciacca, ’15, authored Awakening the Dark Throne, a tale of magic and redemption, in April 2024.

growth

Adam Shirley, ’15, was named the Blue KC Sporting Samaritan for September 2024. The Sporting Samaritan program, an initiative of Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer team), highlights teachers and students who make a positive impact on their schools and communities. Shirley is a forensic science teacher at Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Northwest High School.

Jason Souza, MA ’15, was appointed chief growth officer at Alluvionic, a Melbourne, Fla., based company that specializes in project management, process improvement, product development, cybersecurity, training and government services.

Master Sgt. Brian Virden, ’15, MBA ’22, was appointed as the Lake County, Mich., 911 central dispatch director in December 2023.

Sebastian James (Anderson), ’16, MBA ’18, who toured the country as the drummer for the Nigel Dupree Band, has launched a solo career. His first two singles, “American Made” and “When We Were Young,” landed on separate top 40 charts. His debut album, “Old School Cool,” was released in October 2024.

Seth Arnold, MBA ’16, was named to the 2023 Class of 40 Under Forty by Ingram’s, a Kansas City business magazine. Arnold is a security compliance manager for Honeywell, which manages the National Security Campus for the Department of Energy.

Gyasi Bawuah, MBA ’16, is the founder of Chase Analytics, a leader in data science that leverages data through expert analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

January Boyer, ’16, MSW ’17, was appointed in December 2024 to the Missouri State Rehabilitation Council by Gov. Mike Parson.

Xavielle Brown, ’16, MBA ’20, was appointed as the girls basketball head coach at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo., in June 2025.

Erin Fraser, ’16, ’17 MSW, was appointed in October 2023 as the first woman executive director of Benilde Hall in Kansas City, Mo., an organization whose mission is to provide wrap-around services for treating substance use, mental health and homelessness.

Adrienne (Strobel) Goebel, ’16, was appointed as a senior account executive for Red Banyan, a global crisis communications agency based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in December 2021. In December 2022, Goebel was promoted to Red Banyan’s people and operations manager.

Carneysha Mendoza, ’16, who received Park University’s Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award in 2021, was inducted into the Festus (Mo.) R-6 School District Hall of Fame in April 2022.

Samuel Moreno, ’16, co-founded MusicStar.AI in 2023, a music generator software that helps create original songs in the style of an individual’s favorite artists. Moreno says the software is “the ChatGPT for music.”

Anna (Ruckman) Mosakowski, ’16, is the chief operating officer of Sock101, a company based in Lee’s Summit, Mo., that offers socks, shoes, apparel and other goods.

Matthew Nolan, ’16, was promoted to the rank of fifth class patrol officer for the Springfield Township (N.J.) Police Department in November 2022.

Kimberlee Ried, MA ’16, represented the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in the Spring 2024 Excellence in Government Program through the Partnership for Public Service. Ried is a management and program analyst within NARA’s Office of Government Information Services.

Kimala Small, MHA ’16, was recognized as a Hometown Hero during the Kansas City Current (National Women’s Soccer League team) home opener in April 2022. Small is the director of patient care services for St. Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, Mo., where she manages six care units.

Tech. Sgt. Bionca Thomas, ’16, Ph.D., earned her doctorate degree in biblical studies in early 2022. Thomas is the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of aviation resource management within the 9th Operations Group at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and serves as the additional duty first sergeant and as a first-term airmen center instructor for the 412th Test Wing.

Sarah Weygand, ’16, was appointed as the student and academic services manager for the University of Kansas’ Fort Leavenworth (Kan.) Education Center.

Chris Wright, ’16, joined the Farmer Veteran Coalition, a Dallas-based organization whose mission is to mobilize veterans to feed America, as its fund development manager in January 2024.

Cole Doherty, ’17, was appointed as an assistant coach for the baseball program at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. He previously served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Maryland – Eastern Shore.

Laurel Gagnon, ’17, MM ’19, placed third at the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition in Boca Raton, Fla., in January 2023, winning a $10,000 prize. In June 2025, Gagnon won the Dallas International Violin Competition, earning a $2,500 prize and a performance with the Dallas Chamber Symphony Orchestra.

Emily Key, ’17, was appointed director of the Sporting City North soccer club as its U13-U19 girls director. She also serves as a coach for the William Jewell College women’s soccer program.

Chief Master Sgt. Kelly Kruger, ’17, is the command CMS of the 927th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

Rodolfo Lopes, ’17, signed in August 2022 to play with the Central Florida Crusaders of the National Indoor Soccer League.

Zach Cochran, ’18, MBA ’20, was appointed as national business development manager with Premier Medical Staff Services based in West Allis, Wis., in August 2023.

Ignacio (Nacho) Flores, ’18, signed a series of contracts in July 2022, November 2024 and October 2025 with the Kansas City Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League. Flores has been with the Comets since 2016.

Veronica Gomez, ’18, MBA ’23, was appointed as director of support personnel in the Yseleta Independent School District (El Paso, Texas) in November 2025.

Sam Hagan, ’18, was honored by Automatic Merchandiser with a 40 Under 40 Award in September 2013. The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate leadership and commitment to advancing convenience services for vending, micro markets and office coffee service. Hagan is the business development manager at Quality Vending and Coffee in Kansas City, Mo.

John Haley, ME ’18, was appointed as the principal of Orrick (Mo.) High School in July 2022.

Rob Kudratov, ’18, was honored with a Student Veteran Leadership Award by G.I. Jobs in August 2022. The award honors student veterans who make a positive difference at their school and in their communities.

Bridget Locke, MACL ’18, was selected to the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City’s 2023-24 Kansas City Tomorrow leadership class in June 2023.

Meredith Moore, ME ’18, was appointed as the district assessment coordinator for the Raytown (Mo.) School District in March 2024. She previously served as an assistant principal and social studies teacher at Raytown South High School.

Shawn Moore, ’18, MSW ’20, who founded Caregivers on the Homefront (now known as Operation Frontline Families), was appointed in June 2024 as director of support programs and senior advisor for suicide prevention with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which now oversees OFF.

Timothy Pachasa, ’18, was elected to serve a threeyear term on Park University’s Board of Trustees, effective July 2022, and he was re-appointed to a second term in 2025. Pachasa is the founder, chief executive officer and host of CAPE Lead, a leadership-centric podcast based in Phoenix that he started in 2018, and senior director of philanthropy for Black Rifle Coffee Co., in San Antonio.

Amanda Ueligger, ME ’18, was appointed in January 2024 to become the principal at Parkway Elementary School in the St. Joseph (Mo.) School District, effective July 2024. Ueligger previously served as the assistant principal at Lindbergh Elementary School in the SJSD.

Mark Dunning, MPA ’19, was promoted to city manager of the City of Lee’s Summit, Mo., in September 2022. Dunning previously served the city as the assistant city manager of infrastructure and development.

Lyndsey Fowks, ’19, was appointed as the academic programs support coordinator within the communication studies department at Colorado State University in August 2025.

Rebecca Hermosillo, ’19, was elected as the Sonoma County (Calif.) 1st District supervisor in March 2024.

Leeah Shipley, ’19, owns and operates Cornerstone Coffee in Smithville, Mo., a business she opened in 2020.

Natasha Swayze, ’19, MSW ’20, was appointed in June 2024 as the program specialist of support programs for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Swayze previously served as the development and program director of Operation Frontline Families.

Staff Sgt. Danny Tucker, ’19, was recognized by the Kansas City Chiefs during a game in December 2023 as part of the team’s “Tribute to the Troops” program.

Ashlyn Weber, ’19, was accepted to the U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School in spring 2024.

Ashley Wilson, ME ’19, was honored in April 2022 with the Making Learning Come Alive Award at the Southwest (Missouri) Center Celebration of Schools for “The Magic of Learning” program at Mount Vernon (Mo.) Elementary School where she serves as the library media specialist.

2020s

Melissa Ferrer Civil, ME ’20, was appointed in February 2024 as Kansas City, Mo.’s first poet laureate.

Lily Davis, ’20, was appointed as a community conservation liaison with the Missouri Department of Conservation in December 2023. Davis is based at the MDC’s Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Isaias De La Torre, ’20, was appointed head coach of the Kansas Bandits (based in Dodge City) in the Major Arena Soccer League 2 in November 2022.

Joseph Goodroad, ’20, was installed as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Iola, Kan., in June 2024 after previously serving as vicar of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Peace Lutheran Church in Shell Rock, Iowa, since August 2022.

Nathan Hansen, MBA ’20, was appointed as innovation and continuous improvement manager at Duncan Aviation’s facility in Provo, Utah, in October 2022.

Tiffani Hebert, ’20, was promoted to the role of director of child nutrition with the San Angelo (Texas) Independent School District in June 2024. She previously served as assistant director of child nutrition.

Michael Marfield, ’20, was appointed as a social studies teacher at Park Hill High School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District in August 2022.

Anthony Matthies, MBA ’20, was promoted to vice president of premium sales with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He previously served as senior director of premium sales.

Noah Cottterman, MBA ’21, was appointed as an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball program at the University of California, San Diego, in November 2025.

Rob Duggan, MPA ’21, was promoted from assistant chief to chief of the Gilbert (Ariz.) Fire and Rescue Department in July 2022. In June 2024, the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce honored Duggan with its 2024 Gilbert Leadership Alumni Award for representing the highest level of dedication to the program’s values and to the community.

Madalene Johnson, ’21, and Destinee Robinson, ’21, were recognized in March 2023 by the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education with its Outstanding Beginning Teacher Award. Johnson is a 5th grade teacher at St. Therese Catholic School in Kansas City, Mo., and Robinson is a 2nd grade teacher at Graden Elementary School in the Park Hill School District.

Nada Meawad, ’21, who was an unprecedented five-time first team All-American and three-time NAIA women’s volleyball player of the year at Park University’s Parkville (Mo.) Campus, played with Volley Düdingen in Switzerland during the 2023-24 season and signed to play with Béziers Angels in France in May 2024.

Matt Percy, ’21, was appointed assistant coach of the men’s and women’s golf teams at Ottawa (Kan.) University in September 2023.

Jennie Snapp, MA ‘21, was appointed as executive director of foundation, marketing and public relations for Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville, Mo., in June 2025.

artistry

Andrew Snively, ’21, joined the Baker Sterchi Cowden and Rice law firm in Kansas City, Mo., as an associate in May 2024. His work is focused on insurance coverage, bad faith claims and personal injury defense.

Cortney Vercelote-Whitwood, ’21, is the education program liaison at the American Trauma Society in Falls Church, Va. Prior to joining ATS, she served in the U.S. Navy from 2009-22 as a petty officer.

MacKenzie Coder, ’22, joined National Real Estate Insurance Group in May 2022 as a content writer.

Jon Connor, ’22, was appointed as the director of planning and code enforcement for the city of Lewiston, Maine, in April 2024.

Aaron de Groot, ’22, was a member of The Netherlands roster at the World Baseball Classic hosted by the U.S., Japan and Taiwan in March 2022.

Jenna Irwin, ’22, was appointed as an 8th grade science teacher at Walden Middle School in the Park Hill (Mo.) School District in August 2022.

Jakib Jones, ’22, was drafted by the Kansas City Comets in the third round of the Major Arena Soccer League’s inaugural college draft in December 2022. He signed a two-year contract with the team in February 2023.

Madison Labart, ’22, and Katie (Shipp) Boone, ’23, were among those honored as 2025 Outstanding Beginning Teachers” by the Missouri Association of Colleges for Teacher Education in February 2025. Labart is a social studies teacher at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo. Boone is an English teacher at Excelsior Springs (Mo.) High School.

Victoria Malicoat, ’22, MHA ’25, was named to the “Top 50 Women Leaders of Missouri for 2025 by Women We Admire in August 2025.

Brian Opoka, ’22, is the director of public safety at John Knox Village, a retirement community in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Cory Reeves, ’22, signed in October 2025 to play professional basketball for Gence BK Ganja in the Azerbaijan Basketball League. Reeves was a second team NAIA AllAmerican for Park University’s Parkville (Mo. ) Campus men’s basketball team for the 2019-20 season.

Sgt. Maj. Hector Rivera, ’22, was appointed as regimental sergeant major for the Combat Logistics Regiment 1, U.S. Marine Corps 1st Marine Logistics Group, in March 2024.

Michael Davidman, ’23, was announced as the winner of the 2025 American Piano Awards competition in April 2025, becoming the second consecutive Park University graduate to win the 13-monthlong competition (Kenny Broberg, ’21, won the competition in 2021; Davidman was a finalist that same year before transferring to Park). He won a $25,000 cash prize and the Christel DeHaan Fellowship, which includes a career support package valued at more than $200,000.

Amanda Elliott, MPA ’23, was appointed in May 2025 as director of small business services and administration with the City of Mesa (Ariz.) Office of Economic Development.

Laney Lupe, ’23, who was Miss Indian Arizona for 2023-24, served as the grand marshal of the Native American Connections parade in October 2024 in Phoenix. Lupe is a member of the White Mountain Apache tribe.

Nichole Matthews, MPA ’23, was appointed as the disaster, assessment and recovery program specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in November 2025.

Brian Siercks, ’23, was promoted to the rank of corporal in the Missouri State Highway Patrol in November 2023. He serves as the assistant zone supervisor of Zone 4, serving Clay County, Mo.

Mallory Brown, ’24 MPA, was appointed as the community development director for the City of Excelsior Springs, Mo., in February 2025.

Mark Fiegenbaum, MPA ’24, was appointed as associate director of state and local legislative affairs with the Missouri Farm Bureau, based in Jefferson City, Mo., in December 2024.

Skyler Jensen, ’24, was appointed as a communications and public relations specialist with the Iowa Bankers Association in June 2024.

Kody Petersen, ’24, was appointed as the veterans initiatives manager with the Branson (Mo.) Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau in February 2025.

Clayton Wells, ’24, was appointed in October 2025 as a medical equipment planner with Pulse Design Group in Kansas City, Mo.

Lori Lazure, Ed.S. ’25, was appointed in December 2025 as the director of the Duenweg Education Center and Beacon Autism Center in the Joplin (Mo.) School District, effective July 2026 upon the retirement of the current director.

Weddings

Ashlyn Weber, ’19, and Damon Grosvenor, ’24, were married in July 2025 in Excelsior Springs, Mo. Ashlyn currently serves as a loan coordinator with Veterans United Home Loans, while Damon is a reporter at the Jefferson City (Mo.) News Tribune.

Andi (Enns) Kahclamat, ’20, married Brian Edwardson in March 2025 in Kansas City, Kan. Andi works remotely as the marketing and communications director of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (based in New York City).

Park Mourns | August

2020-December 2025

The following is a list of Park University alumni, faculty, staff and community volunteers who passed away between August 2020 and December 2025. The list has been compiled from online obituaries and/or messages sent to the University. If you feel someone is missing from this list and/or you wish to report future passings, send an e-mail to communication@park.edu and include a link to the online obituary. If you don’t have a link, please provide as much information as possible, including name, graduation year (if known), city of residence and date of death.

Alumni

1940s

Norma (Bates) Barnett, ’41

Lubbock, Texas, Aug. 27, 2024

Dorothy (Schrader) Huffstutler, ’41

Cameron Park, Calif., March 18, 2025

Phillip Bedient, ’43, Ph.D.

Dalton, Mass., March 5, 2023

Martha Sue (Newell) Atkinson, ’44

Chester, Conn., Dec. 23, 2021

James Crockett, ’45

Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., May 8, 2022

Cora (Altick) Petrocine, x45 Estes Park, Colo., Nov. 23, 2022

Jeraldeen (McComb) Sullenberger, ’45 Cañon City, Colo., Aug. 25, 2021

C. Howard Wallace, ’45, Th.D. Dubuque, Iowa, Dec. 21, 2022

Mariam (Edgerton) Fleming x49 Prairie Village, Kan., Feb. 19, 2024

1950s

Betty (Nicholas) Henderson, ’50 Cameron, Mo., Nov. 28, 2023

William Linneman, ’50, Ph.D. Bloomington, Ill., Jan. 7, 2022

Rev. Richard Rowe, ‘50, ’57 M.Div. Santa Fe, N.M., Nov. 10, 2024

Alice (Dame) Vernier, ’50 Newark, Del., April 10, 2023

Roseanna Viggers, ’50 Fulton, Mo., Feb. 1, 2022

Margaret “Peggy” (Griggs) Vranesh, ’50 New York, N.Y., Dec. 13, 2023

Martha (Fraser) Couch, ’51 Overland Park, Kan., July 18, 2025

Gwendolyn (Gibby) Hayes, ’51 Mars, Pa., Dec. 9, 2025

Delores Heard, ’51 Marquette Township, Mich., March 26, 2022

Charles Mosier, ’51, J.D. Davison, Mich., March 10, 2022

Patricia (Wilson) Quillen, x51 Kimball, Neb., Feb. 21, 2022

Bradley Rohwer, ’51

Kalamazoo, Mich., Aug. 21, 2022

Phyllis (Garner) Dull, ’52

Moline, Ill., Aug. 8, 2022

Gerald Gresham, ’52 Springfield, Mo., March 26, 2024

Mary (Watson) Hales, ’52 Casper, Wyo., Nov. 21, 2024

Elwyn Oldenburg, ’52

Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 26, 2021

Catherine Prickett, x52

St. Peters, Mo., Dec. 24, 2020

Joyce (Holben) Verney, ’52 Tonasket, Wash., Jan. 22, 2025

Dorothy (Harper) Watson, ’52, Ph.D.

Columbia, Mo., July 4, 2024

Namesake of the Dorothy Harper Watson Literacy Center on the Parkville (Mo.) Campus

Carolyn Alexander, ’53 Thornton, Colo., April 17, 2023

Dean Larrick, ’53

Columbia, Mo., March 25, 2024

Barbara (Passiglia) Smischny, ’53

Salina, Kan., Sept. 22, 2022

Earl “Ed” Thwaites, ‘53

Windsor, Colo., Feb. 19, 2025

Teresa (Hargrave) Bremer, ’54, Ph.D.

Santa Fe, N.M., Nov. 2, 2025

Elizabeth Core, ’54

Lawrence, Kan., Jan. 10, 2024

Joyce (Sommers) Patterson, ’54

Marysville, Kan., Aug. 17, 2024

Shirley (Durbin) Bogren, ’55 Springfield, Ill., March 6, 2024

Mary (Hay) Cooke, ’55 Hastings, Neb., Jan. 10, 2022

Herman Duermyer, ’55

Kansas City, Mo., July 26, 2023

Philo Goodrich, ’55 Berlin, Wis., Sept. 5, 2024

Jewell (Kirchner) Gregory, x55 Glenview, Ill., April 26, 2024

Jack Irvine, ’55, M.D. Ashland, Ohio, May 15, 2025

David Warinner, ’55

Brevard, N.C., July 13, 2022

Dolores (Crane) Wolford, ’55 Golden, Colo., Nov. 24, 2021

Janet (Bard) Frizzle, x56 Lenexa, Kan., Sept. 18, 2023

Louise (Egger) Hoffmaster Gleason, ’56 Topeka, Kan. Feb. 4, 2025

Robert McGowan, ’56 Prairie Village, Kan., May 13, 2022

Beverly (Kirkham) Sheneman, x56 Palm Desert, Calif., June 19, 2022

Donovan Smith Jr., ’56

Kansas City, Mo., July 26, 2022

Mildred (Cantrell) Wright, ’56 Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2025

Myra (Wallace) Barker, ’57 Tehachapi, Calif., April 26, 2022

Winifred (Nellis) Johnson, x57 Waukee, Iowa, Sept. 13, 2022

Jerry Schrader, ’57 Salem, Ore., Oct. 1, 2020

Stephanie (Stahmer) Zitomer, ’57 Windsor, Conn., Jan. 20, 2023

Hugh Berry, ’58

New Philadelphia, Ohio, Dec. 11, 2021

Phyllis Cobb, ’58 Rosemont, Pa., Oct. 12, 2023

Howard Hoffmaster, ’58 Winona, Minn., May 4, 2023

Lois (Sheppard) Noto, ’58 Edwardsville, Ill., Nov. 25, 2025

Rev. Francis Rath, ’58, ’62 Albuquerque, N.M., April 9, 2025

Sharon (Kalass) Rettenberg, ’58 San Rafael, Calif., May 31, 2023

Nona (Lynn) Richardson, ’58 Starkville, Miss., July 4, 2024

Jeanette (Green) Schwan, ’58 Lake Pleasant, N.Y., Dec. 3, 2021

Margaret (McCluggage) Smith, ’58 Hiawatha, Iowa, June 26, 2025

Staff Sgt. David Wetmore, ’58, Ph.D. Brevard, N.C., Dec. 18, 2022

Bruce Bucher, ’59 Tappahannock, Va., July 4, 2024

Sara Gaggens, ’59

Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 3, 2023

Shirley (Masser) Huddle, ’59 Homewood, Ill., Feb. 11, 2022

Evelyn Krueger, ’59 Forest Park, Ill., Nov. 20, 2022

Nancy (Johnston) Mulford, ’59 Skillman, N.J., Jan. 12, 2023

John Purcell, ’59 Watervliet, N.Y., Oct. 6, 2025

Barry Simpson, ’59 Franklin, Maine, April 9, 2024

1960s

Ivan Waite, ’60 Raymore, Mo., August 25, 2020

Carolyn (Tayloe) Wilson, ’60 Laguna Woods, Calif., Jan. 29, 2023

Carolyn Carlson, ’61 Lawrence, Kan., Dec. 7, 2024

Gary Clark, ’61, Ph.D. Rockville, Md., April 21, 2022

William Meyer, ’61 Auburn, Ga., Dec. 31, 2022

Deanna (Braley) Young, ’61 Aug. 9, 2022, Osage Beach, Mo.

Sandra (Mosiman) Fischer, ’62 Fremont, Neb., Jan. 4, 2023

Craig Little, ’62 Sevastopol, Wis., Nov. 15, 2024

Col. John Turner, ’62 Sisters, Ore., March 9, 2024

Neal Harrison, ’63 Leavenworth, Kan., March 30, 2023

Lorena (Jones) Hobart, ’63 Sun City Hilton Head, S.C.,

Rev. Bruce Scott, ’63 New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Oct. 18, 2023

Julia (Speer) Munson, ’64 Calumet, Mich., Nov. 23, 2023

John Hackenberg, ’65 San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico, July 13, 2023

Arthur Kluge, ’65, Ph.D. Gainesville, Fla., Nov. 22, 2021 Former Board of Trustees member

Diane (Davis) Reed, ’65 Parkville, Mo., March 13, 2024

Col. Robert Brumback, ’66 Clearwater, Fla., Sept. 4, 2020

James Eiker, ’66, MA ’67, MPA ’75 Prairie Village, Kan., Sept. 22, 2025

Kathryn (Amayo) Metcalf, ’66 Concordia, Kan., July 29, 2022

Howard Beall, ’67 Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 11, 2023

Stephanie Brackett, ’67 Stratford, Conn., Sept. 22, 2023

John Hooker, x67 Oshkosh, Wis., July 27, 2022

William Kott, ’67 Schwenksville, Pa., May 29, 2024

Col. Alfred Paddock, ’67, Ph.D. Huntsville, Ala. March 20, 2025

Glenn Green, ’68 La Crosse, Wis., Sept. 2, 2024

Allan Gross, ’68 West Caldwell, N.J., Feb. 15, 2025

Edward Kochenthal Jr., x68 San Antonio, Fla., May 26, 2022

Leo Ruffing, ’68 Chesapeake, Va, May 8, 2023

Roger Buckley, ’69 Beaver, Utah, March 25, 2023

James Caldwell, ’69 Warrenton, Va., Aug. 8, 2025

Louis Ehrlich III, ’69 Denver, Colo., Nov. 20, 2022

William Huddleston Jr., ’69 Batesville, Ark., Oct. 23, 2021

Ewen McKechnie, ’69 San Rafael, Calif., unknown date in 2025 San Rafael, Calif., unknown date in 2025

Lt. Col. Ellison Vickery, ’69

The Villages, Fla., July 27, 2025

Patricia (Clawson) Williams, ’69 Spokane, Wash., Nov. 21, 2025

1970s

Robert “Chance” Browne, x70

Wilton, Conn., March 4, 2024

Allen Carter, ’70

Fayetteville, N.C., June 20, 2025

Richard Chudzikiewicz, ’70 Guilford, Maine, Dec. 12, 2024

Bonnie (Wallace) Epperson, ’70

Santa Barbara, Calif., July 17, 2023

Former Board of Trustees member

Frederick Hemley, ’70 Eastham, Mass., Aug. 26, 2022

Maj. Michael Hurley, ’70 Bedford, Mass., April 19, 2023

Martin Davis, ’70, D.O. Tulsa, Okla., April 26, 2025

Thomas Reilly, ’70 Oxford, N.J., March 1, 2023

Lt. William Shukis Sr., ’70 Virginia Beach, Va., May 30, 2023

Theodore Stahl, ’70 Iola, Kan., Jan. 2, 2025

Webster Staples, ’70 Middletown, Conn., Dec. 26, 2023

Alexander Walker Jr., ’70 Woodstock, Ga., Jan. 12, 2024

John Aljets, ’71 Ocala, Fla., Oct. 24, 2022

Eileen (West) Barber, ’71

St. Joseph, Mo., Sept. 24, 2022

Former registrar

Ted Betsch, ’71 Marietta, Ga., Nov. 28, 2022

Nancy (Clarke) Green, ’71 Denison, Texas, June 29, 2024

Maj. William Garrison Sr., ’71 Clay Center, Kan., Nov. 29, 2021

Edward Krogstad Jr., ’71

Matawan, N.J., Oct. 7, 2022

Bruce McKeon, ’71

Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 4, 2023

George Snell, ’71

San Antonio, Texas, Sept. 18, 2024

William Walinow Jr., ’71 Athens, Ga., Jan. 20, 2023

Maj. Robert Witt, ’71

Lamar, Mo., Dec. 7, 2023

John Cisternino, ’72

Overland Park, Kan., Jan. 15, 2023

Michael Clissold, ’72

Elizabethtown, Pa., Oct. 29, 2021

Barbara Hirsch, ’72

Richfield, Minn., Aug. 6, 2023

Patrice Pierce, ’72

Washington, D.C., April 26, 2025

Mary Ann Scholta, ’72

Naperville, Ill., Oct. 8, 2022

Lt. Col. Floyd Williams, ’72

Ypsilanti, Mich., April 26, 2023

Kevin Grady, ’73

Sunrise Beach, Mo., April 7, 2022

Harry Gray Jr., ’73

Lake Hopatcong, N.J., March 27, 2023

Robert Harmon, ’73

Upland, Calif., Aug. 4, 2020

Chief Master Sgt. George Hedenkamp, ’73

Overland Park, Kan., March 18, 2024

Gen. Earl O’Loughlin, ’73 East Tawas, Mich., Nov. 10, 2023

Col. George Robbins, ’73 Seymour, Ind., Oct. 14, 2023

Hinston Robinson, ’73 Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 4, 2023

Master Sgt. Charles (Ron) Gustafson, ’74 Monte Vista, Colo., June 14, 2024

Master Sgt. Gary Kintner, ’74 Wichita Falls, Texas, Dec. 5, 2025

Maj. Quitman Kirby Jr., ’74 Columbus, Ga., July 28, 2023

Col. Manuel Lopez, ’74 Alice, Texas, Aug. 3, 2022

Col. Raymond Moot, ’74 Fairview Heights, Ill., Dec. 19. 2022

Capt. Augusto “Gus” Moreno, ’74, D.C. Ithaca, Neb., June 16, 2025

Levi Snow, ’74 Overland Park, Kan., July 17, 2023

Brenda Vaughn, x74 St. Joseph, Mo., March 26, 2022

Albert “Gene” Adcock, ’75 Spring Lake, N.C., Aug. 6, 2025

Larry Arnold, ’75 Harbor Hills, Ohio, May 11, 2024

Angelina Borgedalen, ’75 Paradise Valley, Ariz., Feb. 11, 2023

Col. John Campbell, ’75 Tucson, Ariz., Oct. 7, 2022

Lt. Col. Bruce Cartwright, ’75 Leavenworth, Kan., Oct. 8, 2025

Col. Aubrey Craig, ’75 Plano, Texas, Aug. 11, 2022

SuEllen Fried, ’75

Prairie Village, Kan., Oct. 3, 2024

Fried received the Park University Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award in 2014

Mildred Richter, ’75

Overland Park, Kan., May 1, 2025

David Saunders, ’75 Kansas City, Mo., March 13, 2024

Ron Shelton, ’75 Jonesboro, Ark., May 27, 2025

Arabella Tubbs, ’75 Maquoketa, Iowa, Dec. 22, 2022

William Whitehead, ’75 Tullahoma, Tenn., March 12, 2022

Chief Master Sgt. Eugene Barnes, ’76 Joliet, Ill., July 10, 2023

Harry Biddle, ’76 Beavercreek, Ohio, July 25, 2025

William Colston, ’76

Blytheville, Ark., June 6, 2022

Sharon Echelmeier, ’76 Lake Tapawingo, Mo., June 8, 2023

Lawrence Jackson Jr., ’76 Kansas City, Kan., June 10, 2023

Ronald Lester, ’76 Sherwood, Ark., Nov. 5, 2022

Katie Miller, ’76 Fort Collins, Colo., Sept. 22, 2025

Wayne Combs, ’77

Lee’s Summit, Mo., April 12, 2022

Therese (Brennan) Mahoney, ’77 Overland Park, Kan., Jan. 28, 2025

Ronald McCabe, ’77 Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 28

Kenneth Miles, ’77 Tulsa, Okla., April 12, 2022

Vernon Moss, ’77 Chowchilla, Calif., April 8, 2022

James Norris, ’77 Baker, Fla., March 2, 2025

Lt. Col. Randall Schmidt, ’77 Hays, Kan., July 4, 2023

David Smith, ’77 Kansas City, Mo., June 9, 2023

Geraldine Albright, ’78

Albuquerque, N.M., March 12, 2025

Ida Marie Cook, ’78 Kansas City, Mo., June 17, 2024

Charles Davis, ’78 Penn Laird, Va., Aug. 20, 2022

Fred Eisenhart, ’78 Waynesboro, Pa., Jan. 4, 2025

Marjorie (Engle) Gatten, x78 Eagle Rock, Mo., Jan. 22, 2022

Steven Hill, ’78 Fayetteville, Ark., Oct. 29, 2021

Karen Kidwell, ’78 Linn Valley, Kan., Sept. 10, 2021

Rick Miller, ’78 Belton, Mo., Aug. 20, 2022

James Ramsey Jr., ’78 Inman, S.C., Sept. 12, 2022

Edwin Shamburger, ’78 Denison, Texas, May 10, 2023

Master Chief Petty Officer James Smith, ’78

Overland Park, Kan., Dec. 10, 2025

Alan Weimer, ’78

Waynesville, Ohio, Aug. 31, 2023

Maj. Michael Dowhaniuk, ’79

El Paso, Texas, April 10, 2023

Joe Elliott Sr., ’79

Wilsonville, Ala., June 8, 2023

Lois Johnson, ’79

Shalimar, Fla., Oct. 6, 2025

Hanh “Hank” Quach, ’79

Oak Ridge, Tenn., Nov. 7, 2021

Ann Storer, ’79

Beavercreek, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2023

John Wildman, ’79

Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 17, 2021

Dolores (Robertson) Windham, ’79 Mountain Home, Ark., July 21, 2025

1980s

Capt. Edward Barker, ’80 Sandusky, Ohio, Sept. 3, 2021

Doris Brown, ’80

Kansas City, Mo., March 29, 2024

Frank Fitzgerald, ’80

Landisville, Pa., Dec. 24, 2022

Senior Master Sgt. Carol Herbst, ’80

Avondale, Ariz., Nov. 3, 2022

Sgt. Maj. Clarence Lewis, ’80

Denver, Colo., May 25, 2025

Constance (Huelskoetter) Shildt, ’80

Mascoutah, Ill., July 4, 2024

James Bachman, ’81 Kearney, Mo., Sept. 29, 2025

Ray Beane, ’81 Ashville, Ohio, April 27, 2022

Joseph Beasley, ’81, Ph.D. Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 9, 2025

John Bialecki, ’81 Turners Falls, Mass., Dec. 22, 2023

Chief Master Sgt. Ura “Jack” Bryant, ’81 Warrensburg, Mo., Aug. 14, 2022

Brice Coen, ’81 Round Rock, Texas, May 7, 2022

Barbara Flippen, ’81

Jacksonville, Ark., May 12, 2023

Former director of the Little Rock (Ark.) Air Force Base Campus

Rafael Garza, ’81 Alamo, Texas, July 21, 2024

Judith Ingraham, ’81 Grapevine, Texas, Jan. 11, 2024

Glenn Lasater, ’81 Peyton, Colo., Dec. 30, 2023

Jack Newman, ’81 Northmoor, Mo., Nov. 16, 2022

Hugh Grossman III, ’81, MPA ’93 Joplin, Mo., Nov. 27, 2022

Jeffrey Ullom, ’81 Murrells Inlet, S.C., Sept. 18, 2025

Chief Master Sgt. Edward Vance Sr., ’81 Forloud, Pa., March 17, 2023

Ann Webb, ’81, MPA ’99

Bowling Green, Ky., July 10, 2022

Former administrator of the Hauptmann School for Public Affairs (now Public Administration)

Marion Broils, ’82 Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 5, 2025

Anna Correa, ’82 Knob Noster, Mo., Dec. 16, 2022

Chester Field, ’82 Summerton, S.C., Aug. 7, 2025

Connie Forand-Sarty, ’82 Poland, Ohio, May 3, 2023

Bill Fuller, ’82 Mountain Home, Idaho, March 5, 2023

Glenn Hughes, ’82 Blue Springs, Mo., Dec. 7, 2025

Norma Kane, ’82 Manchester, N.H., Aug. 31, 2023

Bert Love, ’82 Georgetown, Texas, Feb. 8, 2024

Eleanor “Lee” Burris, ’83 Rockwall, Texas, Feb. 28, 2023 Former vice president of extended learning

Bernice Crummett, ’83 Overland Park, Kan., Dec. 17, 2022

Paul Dixon Jr., ’83 Dublin, Ga., Aug. 26, 2025

Doris Herbst, ’83 Dayton, Ohio, Sept. 25, 2021

Maj. William Hurula, ’83 Holland, Mich., June 11, 2024

Walter McKnight Jr., ’83 Saluda, S.C., Oct. 22, 2022

Sr. Master Sgt. Samuel Owens Jr., ’83 Metter, Ga., Feb. 17, 2024

Brig. Gen. James Burgs Sr., ’84 Columbia, S.C., March 1, 2023

Dorothy Gundling, ’84 Port Royal, S.C., March 31, 2023

George Helms, ’84 Decatur, Ill., Jan. 26, 2024

Christopher Kinate, ’84 Kansas City, Mo., March 9, 2024

Jacqueline Doughty, ’85 Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 21, 2023

Jayne Duncan, ’85 Independence, Mo., Nov. 17, 2024

William Fischer, ’85 St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 1, 2025

Carole Gittman, ’85 Wilmington, Del., May 23, 2024

Edward Miller, ’85 Reynoldsburg, Ohio, Jan. 21, 2023

Master Sgt. Hector Saldana, ’85 Alamogordo, N.M., Aug. 9, 2025

Master Sgt. William Sexton, ’85 Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 4, 2024

Linda Boyer, ’86 Olathe, Kan., Oct. 13, 2025

Sr. Master Sgt. George Dent, ’86 Warner Robins, Ga, Sept. 19, 2023

Oscar Marshall, ’86 Columbia, S.C., July 3, 2022

Brig. Gen. Holsey Moorman, ’86 Palm Coast, Fla., Feb. 7, 2023

John Motley, ’86 Independence, Mo., Feb. 3, 2025

Penni (Prewitt) Robinette, ’86 Lee’s Summit, Mo., July 8, 2025

David Scheppan, ’86 Fairborn, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2025

Master Sgt. Thomas Billeter, ’87 Tucson, Ariz., April 23, 2024

James Boofter, ’87 El Paso, Texas, Aug. 5, 2025

Betty Lou Cousineau, ’87 Muskegon, Mich., Aug. 5, 2024

Chief Master Sgt. Errol Cox Sr., ’87 Tijeras, N.M., Sept. 14, 2025

Frank DeLaurentis, ’87 Chester, N.Y., May 8, 2025

Sgt. 1st Class Williard Diehl Jr., ’87 Newark, Ohio, Nov. 13, 2025

Eldon Ferrell, ’87 The Villages, Fla., April 14, 2022

Maj. Gen. Robert Riggs, ’87 Winchester, Va., Jan. 11, 2022

Stephen Van Scyoc, ’87 Leawood, Kan., Oct. 23, 2025

Donald Spangler, ’87 Washington Court House, Ohio, Nov. 8, 2025

Sally Ward, ’87 Lee’s Summit, Mo., Feb. 27, 2024

Thomas Wiese, ’87 Overland Park, Kan., Feb. 24, 2025

Sr. Master Sgt. David Williams, ’87 Farmville, Va., Nov. 4, 2021

Frank Abele, ’88 Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 28, 2024

Marcia Bryan, ’88 Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 27, 2023

Gloria Darby, ’88 Lee’s Summit, Mo., April 15, 2024

George Davis, ’88 Edmond, Okla., Nov. 29, 2025

Deeana Kays, ’88 Easton, Kan., May 28, 2025

Carolyn Mitchell, ’88 Overland Park, Kan., Nov. 23, 2025

Mark Sanborn, ’88 Claremore, Okla., Oct. 22, 2025

Margaret Swartzendruber, MAR ’88 Caro, Mich., March 28, 2023

Bethel Walkup, ’88 Buda, Texas, Sept. 1, 2022

Howard Andrews, ’89 Zanesville, Ohio, June 15, 2022

Mary Betts, ’89 Sturgis, Ky., July 29, 2022

Sgt. Ralph Brown, ’89 San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 22, 2022

Verlin Jones, ’89 Topeka, Kan., Oct. 6, 2023

Stefani Mish, ’89 Overland Park, Kan., June 7, 2022

Michelle Wuyak, ’89 South Park, Pa., Oct. 4, 2022

1990s

Terry Greiner, ’90

Daytona Beach, Fla., Dec. 8, 2022

Chief Master Sgt. James Hill, ’90 Knob Noster, Mo., Oct. 17, 2022

Paula Peacock, ’90

South Jordan, Utah, Feb. 18, 2024

Gregg Reed, ’90

Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 12, 2024

Col. Robert Rumph, ’90 Charleston, S.C., Jan. 26, 2024

Chief Master Sgt. Floyd Swinford, ’90 Murfreesboro, Tenn., Dec. 22, 2022

Betty Lou Stevenson, ’90

Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 2, 2024

Robert Waechter, MPA ’90

Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 13, 2025

Clarence Duran, ’91

Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 18, 2023

Chief Master Sgt. Paul Fackler, ’91 Lynn Haven, Fla., Jan. 3, 2024

Tammy Moffett-Thomas, MPA ’91 Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 7, 2025

Patricia Paradeza, ’91 El Paso, Texas, June 25, 2024

Master Sgt. John Schindele, ’91 Boise, Idaho, Oct. 28, 2024

James Taylor, ’91 Lilburn, Ga., Sept. 8, 2021

Jennifer Adriano, ’92

Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 8, 2023

Master Sgt. Charles Amedia, ’92 Marana, Ariz., March 2, 2022

Katheryn Blankinship, ’92

Kansas City, Mo., June 18, 2025

Ricardo Evans, ’92 Peoria, Ariz., Aug. 31, 2025

Carolyn Hill, ’92 Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 22, 2022

Barbara (Brewster) Urschel, ’92 Dayton, Ohio, March 15, 2024

Sharon Bradley, ’93 Ames, Iowa, April 7, 2025

Melba Fontaine, ’93 Goodyear, Ariz., April 23, 2024

Col. Jimmy Gomez, ’93 Albuquerque, N.M., July 24, 2022

Brad Harrison, ’93 Riverside, Mo., Sept. 21, 2025

Janet Hayden, ’93 Spotsylvania, Va., May 15, 2025

Travis Kasper, ’93 Jacksonville, Ark., July 22, 2024

James Leath, ’93 Monmouth, Ill, March 14, 2025

Sgt. 1st Class Henry Millward Jr., ’93 Callao, Va., May 25, 2025

Anita Moore, ’93

Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 2, 2023

Larry Ogle, ’93 Plattsburg, Mo., Dec. 28, 2024

Donald Riead, ’93 Blue Springs, Mo., Aug. 12, 2022

Curtiss Waggoner, ’93 Lexington, Texas, Jan. 31, 2022

Lawrence Wedel, ’93 Kingsland, Texas, Nov. 9, 2023

Mary Young, ’93 Centerville, Ohio, Dec. 11, 2023

Gloria (Clark) Brown, ’94 Marietta, Ohio, Dec. 4, 2022

Master Gunnery Sgt. Mark Freed, ’94 Franklin Township, Pa., Feb. 5, 2024

Stephanie Harris, ’94 Aiken, S.C., July 13, 2025

Catherine Heegn, ’94 Independence, Mo., July 15, 2024

Lida Hiller, ’94

Summerville, S.C., Nov. 13, 2025

Lester Prout Jr., ’94, ’95 Constantine, Mich., Aug. 7, 2025

David Routh, MPA ’94 Prairie Village, Kan., Feb. 11, 2024

Francisco Samaniego, ’94 El Paso, Texas, Sept. 8, 2025

Lenora Vance, ’94 Miamisburg, Ohio, March 12, 2024

Torre White, ’94 Independence, Mo., Sept. 14, 2022

Earlene Griggs, ’95 Lee’s Summit, Mo., Dec. 6, 2023

Helen Walker, ’95

Topeka, Kan., Dec. 14, 2022

Former assistant director of adult education

Sgt. 1st Class Sherry Jackson, ’96 San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 21, 2025

Master Sgt. Anthony Joseph Jr., ’96 Canton, Ga., June 10, 2023

Jackie (Avance) Lewis, ’96 Glendale, Calif., March 14, 2025

Lt. Col. Todd Ligman, ’96 Wasilla, Alaska, Feb. 7, 2024

Mary Jo Nastasi, ’96 Independence, Mo., Nov. 12, 2023

Mary Leigh Proctor, ’96 Cibolo, Texas, Feb. 28, 2024

Steven Stroot, ’96 New Baden, Ill., Oct. 1, 2023

Kenneth Stuart, ’96 Beavercreek, Ohio, Oct. 8, 2025

Robert Wippich, ’96 Durham, N.C., May 21, 2023

Lillian Allen, ’97 Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 18, 2025

Lucas Cullers, ’97 Kyle, Texas, February 5, 2025

Pedenia Evans, ’97 Kansas City, Mo., July 10, 2025

Charles Lowery, ’97 Independence, Mo., July 7, 2022

Janis Payne, ’97 Emerado, N.D., May 21, 2024

Stephanie Tolbert, ’97 Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 25, 2024

Sandra Walker, ’97 Round Rock, Texas, July 18, 2022

Meagan Devlin, ’98

St. Paul Park, Minn., Aug. 13, 2024

Roy January Jr., ’98 Centennial, Colo., Jan. 6, 2022

Kenneth Marshall, ’98 Springfield, Ohio, March 1, 2025

Liane Mathews, ’98 Cartersville, Ga., Feb. 2, 2025

Wanda McKinley, MPA ’98 Lafayette, Ind., Aug. 20, 2022

Richard Roberts, ’98 Grand Forks, N.D., Feb. 27, 2022

Ruth Ross, ’98 Liberty, Mo., July 21, 2022

Doris Tousley, MAR ’98 Independence, Mo., Oct. 29, 2025

Lori Venable, ’98 Fairborn, Ohio, July 18, 2025

Staff Sgt. Rick Bledsoe, ’99 Gladstone, Mo., Feb. 15, 2024

Mary Ann Bleish, MBA ’99 Parkville, Mo., March 10, 2022

Doris Guein, MPA ’99 Grandview, Mo., April 13, 2025

James Hight, ’99 Lee’s Summit, Mo., Aug. 30, 2024

Timothy Miller, ’99 Midwest City, Okla., Aug. 24, 2025

2000s

Pamela Baron, ’00 Pflugerville, Texas, Dec. 6, 2023

Ronald Copeland Jr., ’00 Walla Walla, Wash., April 11, 2022

Jeffrey Goodnight, ’00 Edgerton, Mo., April 6, 2025

Rev. Michael Kay, ’00 Spokane, Wash., March 5, 2023

Hazel Piermatteo, ’00 Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., July 14, 2025

Andria Rowser, ’00 Orange Park, Fla., March 20, 2023

Terry Torello, ’00, ’02 Shawnee, Kan., April 28, 2023

Jon Paul Meinke, ’01 Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 6, 2023

Maj. James Stephens, ’01 Nevada, Iowa, Sept. 22, 2022

Matthew Weatherwax, ’01 Gloucester, Va., Dec. 7, 2023

Robert Crider, ’02 Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 3, 2024

Randall Day, ’02 Polo, Mo., Jan. 3, 2025

Ramon Fernandez, ’02 Houston, Texas, Dec. 31, 2023

Michelle Sharp, ’02 Independence, Mo., April 21, 2025

Catherine Butler, ’03 Ogden, Utah, Oct. 19, 2024

Rosalind North, ’03 Independence, Mo., Sept. 11, 2025

Maria Wayman, ’03 Huber Heights, Ohio, Sept. 14, 2025

Christina Elliott, ’04

Independence, Mo., Feb. 28, 2022

Thomas Hanrahan, ’04

Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 20, 2021

Dennis Knotts, ’04 Huber Heights, Ohio, Dec. 12, 2025

Jacquelynn Sampson, ’04 Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 3, 2024

James Kilroy, MBA ’05 Omaha, Neb., Feb. 2, 2025

Erin Lankford, ME ’05 Liberty, Mo., March 8, 2024

Kevin Wilson, ’05 Kettering, Ohio, Oct. 14, 2022

Jacob Burkhardt, ’06 North Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 17, 2025

Kevin Haddix, ’06 Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 13, 2022

Pamela Hardeman-Boyd, ’06 San Antonio, Texas, May 31, 2023

Monica Oliver, ’06 Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 21, 2025

Alfred O’Neal Jr., ’06 Augusta, Ga., Nov. 5, 2025

Ariane (Pfaff) Bohi, ’07 Kansas City, Mo., July 23, 2024

Carl Brewer, ’07 Hutto, Texas, Aug. 29, 2022

Katie (Rodina) Brooks, ’07 Tonganoxie, Kan., Feb. 14, 2014

Carlen Carter Jr., ’07 Jonesboro, Ark., March 24, 2025

Rebecca Catlin, ’07 Kansas City, Mo., March 14

Mary Giovagnoli, ’07 Kansas City, Mo., June 12, 2025

Daniel Koppers, ’07 Leawood, Kan., April 1, 2024

Karen Rasmussen, ’07 Ogden, Utah, May 24, 2022

Jonathan Sanders, ’07 Mansfield, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2025

Barry Bennett, MPA ’08 Cleveland, Ohio, April 21, 2024

Sandra Raphel, ’08 Cedar Park, Texas, June 21, 2023

Paula Reed, ’08 Mountain Home, Idaho, Jan. 14, 2025

Sarita Tucker, ’08 Cheyenne, Wyo., March 29, 2023

Dara Bigler, ’09 Clinton, Mo., July 14, 2024

Anna Whitlock, ’09 Clearfield, Utah, Nov. 24, 2021

Derrick Williams, ’09 Irving, Texas, Dec. 13, 2025

2010s

Cpl. Shelly Henderson-Cuthbertson, ’10 Menifee, Calif., Oct. 10, 2024

James Ross, ’10 Parkville, Mo., Dec. 5, 2021

Jeremy Whisman, ’10, MBA ’15 Hooper, Utah, July 18, 2025

Utsav Pradhan, MBA ’11

Monett, Mo., July 20, 2024

Victor Vega, ’11, MBA ’19

Gainesville, Ga., May 6, 2025

Matthew Webber, ’11

Pembroke Pines, Fla., Sept. 8, 2021

Kenneth Kessler, ’12 Dayton, Ohio, Aug. 8, 2022

Adria Edwards, MPA ’13

Kansas City, Mo., June 24, 2023

Jodi Johnson, ’13

Moberly, Mo., Nov. 19, 2024

Brian Venable-Tucker, ’13

Independence, Mo., Sept. 2, 2021

Joseph Acosta Jr., ’14, MBA ’19 El Paso, Texas, Nov. 4, 2025

Jamie Craig, ’14, ME ’20

Kansas City, Mo., April 29, 2023

Drew Emerson, ’14

Lexington, Mo., Dec. 29, 2023

Lindsay (Scott) Hampton, ’14

North Little Rock, Ark., Nov. 20, 2025

Colleen Shultz, ’14 Fort Valley, Ga., Jan. 27, 2022

Desiree Wheat, ’14

Ogden, Utah, May 13, 2022

Abel Hickmon, ’15

Terre Haute, Ind., April 15, 2023

Lawrence Larson, ’15, MBA ’18

San Antonio, Texas, July 9, 2024

Craig Miller, ’15

Lee’s Summit, Mo., Aug. 11, 2025

Jon Snyder, ’15

Bluffton, S.C., Aug. 3, 2023

Angela Wemhoff, ’15

Kearney, Mo., Nov. 5, 2024

Kristofer Wienke, ’15

Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 15, 2023

Mary Carruthers, ’16

Galesburg, Ill., Oct. 21, 2022

Matthew Novotny, ’16 Minneapolis, Minn., Aug. 7, 2022

Tory Davila, ’17, MBA ’20

Blue Springs, Mo., June 18, 2025

Lori (Cain) Marler, MHA ’17 Leavenworth, Kan., Dec. 25, 2022

Alyssa (Kirk) Teghtmeyer, ’18 Flat Rock, Ind., Feb. 7, 2022

2020s

Matthew Madill, ’20

Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 27, 2021

Juan Escalante, ’21 Tucson, Ariz., July 8, 2024

Gunnery Sgt. Tayvon Peterkins, ’21 Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 15, 2025

University Community

Bonnie Alsbury, assistant professor of nursing St. Joseph, Mo., Nov. 3, 2022

Susan Anderson, vice president of information technology services

Altamonte Springs, Fla., March 11, 2024

Ronald Bartholomew, adjunct instructor of economics

Chattanooga, Okla., Sept. 11, 2021

Thomas Birmingham, adjunct instructor of mathematics

Gladstone, Mo., July 2, 2024

Sandra Breckon, wife of Park University President (19872001) Donald Breckon, Ph.D. Virginia, Minn., Nov 13, 2025

Mary Anne (Arns) Butler, adjunct instructor of nursing Golden, Mo., Jan. 2, 2023

Gayden Carruth, Board of Trustees member

Livingston, N.J., Nov. 29, 2023

N. Lynn Craghead, Board of Trustees member

Kansas City, Mo., July 11, 2025

Heywood “Woody” Davis, longtime outside counsel to the University Prairie Village, Kan., Dec. 7, 2024

Lena Dennis, foreign student adviser Boise, Idaho, Feb. 2, 2023

Geri Dickey, Ph.D., associate professor of social work Columbia, Mo., April 12, 2024

Laurie DiPadova-Stocks, Ph.D., professor of public administration and dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, and Hauptmann School of Public Affairs

Gilbert, Ariz., Dec. 14, 2023

Molly Droge, M.D., wife of Park University

President (2009-14) Mike Droge, Ph.D.

Albuquerque, N.M., April 26, 2024

Betty Dusing, associate librarian and 2022 recipient of the Paul H. Gault Service Award

Parkville, Mo., Jan. 25, 2024

Paul Edwards, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Religion and Board of Trustees member

Independence, Mo., Oct. 13, 2022

Larry Fedewa, Ph.D., provost and dean of Park University’s Crown Center (Kansas City, Mo.) Campus Manassas, Va., Oct. 29, 2025

Tina Frazier, lead technical support representative Kansas City, Mo., March 26, 2022

Richard Getty, director of housing and student problems, and professor of psychology Sumter, S.C., Dec. 25, 2022

Judie Greer, administrative assistant St. Joseph, Mo., March 17, 2025

Virginia Ground, administrative assistant Parkville, Mo., Sept. 4, 2022

Andrew Harrity, adjunct instructor of management Beaufort, S.C., July 6, 2024

Vera Johnson, switchboard operator Kearney, Mo., Jan. 7, 2025

Lynn Kuluva, adjunct instructor of information systems

Overland Park, Kan., Feb. 23, 2025

Kathy Lofflin, Ph.D., associate professor of education and director of the Dorothy Harper Watson Literacy Center Kansas City, Mo., March 17, 2023

Francis Logan, maintenance worker Parkville, Mo., Aug. 19, 2022

Karen Marx, adjunct instructor of human resources and management Olathe, Kan., July 20, 2024

Michael McDonald, Ph.D., adjunct instructor of communication arts and Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Kansas City, Mo., March 13, 2025

C. Ann Mesle, J.D., Board of Trustees member

Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 3, 2025

Vincent O’Rourke, Ph.D., associate professor of management

Salt Lake City, Utah, July 21, 2023

Kenneth Osborn, adjunct faculty Marshall, Mo., Dec. 2, 2022

Judi Perry, librarian Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 3, 2024

Deanna Potts, administrative assistant, Weekend/ Evening College

Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 10, 2024

Leon Probasco, assistant professor of social work Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 26, 2022

Gregory Savage, chaplain Clinton, Mo., March 14, 2022

Betsy Schmidt, payroll manager Independence, Mo., Feb. 4, 2022

Paula Schumacher, adjunct instructor of journalism

Kansas City, Mo., July 18, 2023

Robert Sisco, adjunct instructor of sociology Mountain Home, Idaho, Oct. 25, 2025

Sgt. Maj. William Smolak, adjunct instructor of sociology El Paso, Texas, Oct. 31, 2025

Michael Stockstill, Ph.D., dean, College for Distance Learning Eloy, Ariz., Jan. 25, 2022

Col. Edwin Tankins, adjunct instructor of computer science Hilton Head Island, S.C., Jan. 21, 2024

Dixie Walker, library assistant Keytesville, Mo., May 7, 2022

Kenneth “Daley” Walker, professor of mathematics Parkville, Mo., Feb. 12, 2025

Donald Williams, Ed.D., associate professor of biology

Great Bend, Kan., Oct. 11, 2024

Carol Yarc, adjunct instructor of communication arts and English Spokane, Wash, Sept. 16, 2024

Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D., president (2001-09) Sarasota, Fla., Nov. 4, 2022

Byers-Pevitts served as Park University’s 14th (and first female) president from 2001-09. She came to Park from Texas Woman’s University where she served as provost, vice president of academic affairs and interim president/chief executive officer from 1995 to 2001. Prior to TWU, she served as the dean of humanities and fine arts at the University of Northern Iowa; as choir and director of graduate studies in the Department of Theater Arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and as director of speech and drama at Kentucky Wesleyan College.

During her tenure at Park, Byers-Pevitts enhanced initiatives that secured the University greater visibility in local, national and international circles. She helped develop education study exchange agreements on four continents and worked to expand relationships with government and military constituencies important to Park’s future. Byers-Pevitts also extended Park’s participation with the armed services through the development of the Park Global Warrior Center. She also helped establish the University’s International Center for Music (currently celebrating its 20th anniversary) and the International Center for Civic Engagement.

She was a professionally produced and published playwright, has had numerous articles published in educational journals and books, and lectured widely. Byers-Pevitts was the founding president of the Association for Theater in Higher Education and served on the national advisory board for the Women’s Museum, a division of the Smithsonian Institution.

Byers-Pevitts earned her doctorate degree and a Master of Arts degree from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kentucky Wesleyan College (she was the first alumna of KWC to become a president of a college/university). She also completed post-doctoral study at the Institute for Education Management at Harvard University.

Virginia “Jinny” McCoy, Board of Trustees member and 2008 recipient of the Torchlighter Award

Parkville, Mo., Sept. 8, 2024

McCoy was a steadfast advocate for Park University, a true visionary and a dedicated leader whose legacy has left an indelible mark on the University community. Her commitment to Park reflected her enduring passion for education and her belief in the transformative power of philanthropy. Through her leadership and generous spirit, she not only shaped the future of Park but also inspired countless individuals to follow in her footsteps. She was generous, caring, witty and full of life. When McCoy said she was “in,” she was all in. She led by example and worked tirelessly to make her community a better place. McCoy will be forever remembered for her boundless energy, unwavering selflessness, and the brightness of both her personality and wardrobe.

Her energetic spirit and strong work ethic manifested themselves early in life. Soon after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business and public administration from the University of Arizona in 1969, McCoy moved to Kansas City. She was among the founders of the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City, she helped create Jazzoo and was an active member of the Junior League, which recognized her contributions in 2016 by awarding her the Junior League Community Service Award. She supported many Northland (Kansas City, Mo.) organizations, including the Platte County Eleemosynary Society, Harvest Ball Society, Park Hill Education Foundation and Northland Community Fund. Jinny joined the board of the Salvation Army in Kansas City in 2001 and was honored with the William Booth Award in 2014 and the Life Board Member Award in 2024.

Louise Morden, Board of Trustees member and honorary trustee

Lewiston, N.Y., March 17, 2024

Morden was a member of Park University’s Board of Trustees for 21 years, serving from 1978-89 and from 1992-2002. In May 2002, she was named an honorary trustee. Ten years later, in May 2012, the boardroom located in the Mabee Learning Center/Academic Underground on the University’s flagship Parkville (Mo.) Campus was named in Morden’s honor as she funded the renovation of the boardroom, reception area and Betty Broadbent Turner Dining Room. In addition, she provided a donation to fund the Paul and Louise Morden Commuter Lounge, located in the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and School of Business on the Parkville Campus.

Morden’s relationship with Park started when the University found itself with some financial challenges. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (now known as the Community of Christ), joined with Park to provide some financial stability. Morden and her husband, Paul, were members of the church, and Park’s Board of Trustees was in need of more female representatives, and that is when her journey with Park began.

A graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo (now University at Buffalo) with a degree in English, Morden taught briefly in the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) School District. She and Paul owned and operated numerous businesses in the Niagara Falls area, including the Niagara Falls History Museum and several souvenir stores and motels.

William

Pivonka, Ph.D.

, professor emeritus of chemistry

Overland Park, Kan., Jan. 31, 2022

Pivonka taught at Park University for 36 years, beginning in 1958. Besides serving as a professor of chemistry, he also served Park as an academic dean. He was honored with the Outstanding Park Professor Award three times and twice received distinction from the Outstanding Educators of America. Pivonka also won the first federally funded academic grant in the history of the University.

Ruthann Donahue, ’64, Ph.D., a former student of Pivonka’s, established the Dr. William Pivonka Endowed Science Scholarship at Park University. In a story published in the University’s 2007 Report to Investors, Donahue said that she had great respect for Pivonka, who co-signed a student loan for her during her junior year.

“The final installment on this loan was paid just as I was defending my Ph.D. thesis and I promised at that time I would someday find a way to honor the man who truly opened that door for me in more ways than one,” Donahue said in 2007. Donahue said in her gift statement, “I know that my story is just one of the many who were inspired and assisted by this man’s dedication to all that is Park.”