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About K-State

2009 Human Ecology Achievements

* The Wichita chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food has awarded more than $5,000 in scholarships to five hospitality management students at K-State. The K-State students garnered more than half of the chapter's 2009 scholarship money statewide. Scholarship amounts ranged from $750 to $1,500. Dec. 2009

* K-State's Powercat Financial Counseling, which opened its doors in fall 2009, has been recognized by Visa's Practical Money Skills program as one of its Innovative Educators for 2009. Innovative Educator honorees are selected for finding news ways to help children and adults gain financial literacy. Powercat Financial Counseling provides free, confidential financial counseling to students. It also provides professional counseling experience to students studying personal finance at K-State, who volunteer as counselors. Dec. 2009

* K-State's department of hospitality management and dietetics has been named one of the top hospitality management research programs in the world, according to an article in November's Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research. Of the 100 programs ranked, K-State is No. 14. The article, written by researchers at the University of Central Florida, includes an analysis of the scholarly contributions of researchers from each institution to 11 prominent hospitality and tourism journals from 2002-2006. The authors counted the number of articles, article instances and the number of contributing authors, also categorizing them by world region. Nov. 2009

* K-State's bachelor of interior design/architecture programs are ranked third in the nation according to a recent survey by the journal DesignIntelligence. K-State's interior design/architecture programs have continually ranked in the top eight in the survey's 11-year history. For the rankings, architectural and design professionals from across the nation were asked to rank accredited undergraduate and graduate programs they've had direct experience hiring graduates from. For survey purposes, K-State's bachelor's programs in interior design and interior architecture and product design are combined. K-State offers a bachelor's in interior design through the College of Human Ecology, while a bachelor's in interior architecture and product design has been offered by K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design. Nov. 2009

* Kansas State University has been awarded $1.1 million to renew its successful Kansas Bridges to the Bachelor's program. Because of the program's success, the National Institutes of Health has extended funding for five years. For the past six years, K-State has partnered with Kansas City Kansas Community College, Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kan., Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College and Seward County Community College in Liberal to build "bridges" for students to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in the bio-behavioral or biomedical sciences. Almost 50 students have transferred to K-State since the program began. Nearly 20 have graduated. A number are in graduate school, medical school, optometry or dental school. Sept. 2009

*Andrea VonFeldt, a senior in communication sciences and disorders, Wamego, was named Scholar of the Week by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for Sept. 7-11. A brief bio of VonFeldt was featured on the society's Web site during the week. Vonfeldt was initiated into the society in fall 2008. After graduating from K-State, she intends to go to graduate school and eventually work as a speech pathologist with elementary-age children. Members of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars must have a grade point average of 3.4 or above and rank in the top 20 percent of their class. Sept. 2009

* Korea's top publication for designers has named K-State's interior design program among the top 15 design schools in the world. K-State is the only public university in the U.S. on the list. Design Journal's special August 2009 report listed 15 schools, dividing them by whether they were in the U.S. or England. K-State held honors along with Yale University, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The Rhode Island School of Design and the School of Visual Arts of New York. The report includes an interview with Hyun-Chang Kim, K-State assistant professor of apparel, textiles and interior design, who was born in South Korea and is an expert on Asian interiors. Aug. 2009

* Three hotel and restaurant management students have received scholarships from the Chicago Club Managers Foundation and Great Chicago Club Managers Association for their interest in careers in hospitality management, particularly in the private club industry. K-State received three of the scholarships awarded. Recipients include Dominka Guerra, Orland Park, Ill., $5,000 scholarship; Samantha Ellison, Derby, $3,000 scholarship; and Bailey Miller, $2,000 scholarship. Aug. 2009

* Jana Hawley, head of K-State's department of apparel, textiles and interior design, is the 2009-2010 president-elect of the International Textile and Apparel Association. She will assume the presidency of the organization in September 2010. Hawley previously served as the association's vice president for operations. The association is a professional, educational association of scholars, educators and students in the textile, apparel and merchandising disciplines in higher education. It is also open to professionals in the field. April 2009

* Laura Romig, a senior in dietetics, Leavenworth, has been selected to serve as vice chair of the 2009-2010 American Dietetic Association's Student Council Advisory Committee. The eight-member committee represents the interests of all dietetic students and interns. As a committee member, she attends the American Dietetic Association Leadership Institute, meets with the association's Advisory Committee and attends the association's annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition. April 2009

* K-State's Katie Hamm, senior in dietetics, Shawnee, is an honorable mention selection to USA Today's 2009 All-USA Academic Team. Among Hamm's many achievements is co-creating the Web site All Access Internships to help dietetics students across the country find internships. April 2009

* A recent survey of architecture and design firms has ranked K-State's bachelor degree programs in interior design and interior architecture as the best in the nation, with three other architecture degree programs also earning top 10 rankings. According to the 2009 survey of leading architecture and design professionals published in the journal DesignIntelligence, K-State ranks first among bachelor of interior design and interior architecture programs; second among master of interior design and interior architecture programs; second among bachelor of landscape architecture programs; and eighth among master of landscape architecture programs. K-State's master of architecture program also was ranked 11th in the nation. For survey purposes, K-State's bachelor's programs in interior architecture and product design and interior design are combined. K-State offers interior design through the College of Human Ecology, and interior architecture and product design through the College of Architecture, Planning and Design. Jan. 2009

 

College of Human Ecology