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Accolades
Professor Chris Huitt (Graphic Communications) was named Educator of the Year by the Printing & Imaging Association of MidAmerica — a dynamic association serving nearly 500 print, visual communications, and marketing firms throughout the Midwest.
Huitt has taught at Pitt State for nearly 15 years, specializing in screen printing, layout and design, and layout software.
Additionally, six students — Caleb Fausett, Anna Holmes, Sophia Werhman, Peyton Simpson, Kayla Rosche and Megan Fausett — earned seven Graphic Excellence Awards (GraphEx) from PIA MidAmerica for outstanding technical achievements in innovation and print production.
Breonna Goodwin (Health, Human Performance, and Recreation) was named a NextGen Under 30 award winner by the Kansas Department of Commerce and Graduate Student of the Year by the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. She was honored during a ceremony at the Kansas State Capitol by Lt. Gov. David Toland. She will graduate in May with a Master’s in Sports & Leisure Management. In addition to teaching on campus, she teaches recreation and competitive dance at Paola School of Dance and was a member of the Pittsburg State University Crimson and Gold Dance Team for three years.
Media Production students led by Assistant Professor Barth Cox and Assistant Instructional Professor Kate Allred (Communication) won 11 awards at this year's Kansas Association of Broadcaster's competition, including four 1st place awards: Zack Shelby for “Digital Detox PSA,” Jordan Keyes and Anthony Geisle for “TJ Leland’s Audio Documentary,” Nathan Basaldua for “Jock’s Nitch Sporting Goods TikTok Advertisement,” and Deven Baumchen for “Five of the Best Country Christmas Albums."
Seven students — Aidan Wolownik, Riley Hedges, Gianni Piccini, Griffin Souder, Kavan Limbasiya, Parker Jenkins, and Max Hampton — placed 8th in the national Mechanical Contractors of America Association (MCAA) Student Chapter Competition, earning them each a $1,000 scholarship from the National MCAA and another $1,000 from MCA of Kansas City. At the national competition in Orlando, four students were awarded additional scholarships: Limbasiya won the $2,500 Robert J. Durr, Sr. – UA/NCPWB Partnering Scholarship; Tabitha Watson won the $2,500 Ann Mattheis Memorial Scholarship; Wolownik won the $5,000 Reilly Family Memorial Scholarship; and Souder won the $5,000 Viega Scholarship.
Assistant Professor Ken Ward (Communication) has published a book, "Last Paper Standing: A Century of Competition between the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News,” that could help newspapers fighting for survival. Ward, a Colorado native, is considered an expert on U.S. journalism. His book took about six years to complete and chronicles not just a cutthroat struggle for supremacy between the two papers, but how the fallout from their battle forced them to collaborate on a joint operating agreement.
Meadowlark Elementary students awarded Pitt State Football players with the Community Support award for spending time this spring reading with students at the elementary school as part of the Dr. Seuss Read Across America program.
Members of the Pre-Dental (Biology) Club, including Kelsey Boucek, Silas Rosiere, Brock Marquardt, and Mattie Flanagan, visited Nevada Elementary School in Nevada, Missouri, and applied fluoride to the students' teeth as part of the club’s outreach activities. Marquardt and Flanagan have been accepted into dental schools.
Students Konya Halle, Josh Holloway, Gabe Jones, Alesha Lawson, Belle Pfiefer, and Khloey Stringer (Biology/Field) volunteered over spring break with Sea Turtle Inc on South Padre Island to prepare nesting corrals to protect eggs and hatchlings for endangered turtles during the upcoming nesting seasons.
Seventeen graduate students in the Behavorial Analysis program (Psychology) are working to train dogs at the Southeast Kansas Humane Society. Their goal: to improve their chances of being adopted sooner. They’ve already had one success story. The program will run until the end of the semester.
Students in Dance Appreciation (HHPR), taught by Professor Janice Jewett, were recognized by Pittsburg Community Schools for the time they spent teaching first graders dances like the Virginia Reel folk dance and the Chicken Dance during physical education classes at George Nettels and Lakeside elementary schools. They’ll go to Westside and Meadowlark elementaries later this month. Last semester, they performed for residents at Via Christi Ascension Village and taught dance to students at the Family Resource Center.
