K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design recognizes outstanding teaching, distinguished service

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Sources: Diane Potts, 785-532-1090, potts@k-state.edu;
Sheri Smith, 785-532-1115, kcsheri@k-state.edu; and
Lee Staab, 785-532-1085 lstaab@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Andy Badeker, 785-532-1545, abadeker@k-state.edu

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

K-STATE'S COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING AND DESIGN RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING TEACHING, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

MANHATTAN -- A professor of planning, a real estate developer, an interior architect and an expert at budgeting and event planning will receive awards from Kansas State University's College of Architecture, Planning and Design at the college's May commencement ceremony.

K-State's Sheri L. Smith, whose specialties include community development and urban infrastructure, is to receive the 2007 McElwee Faculty Teaching Award. Former and current students nominated Smith, an assistant professor of landscape architecture and regional and community planning, for her energy, enthusiasm and an ability to encourage classes large and small to participate in making a topic relevant to real-world concerns. Smith, a former Kansas City, Mo., resident, joined the K-State faculty in 2002. She earned her Ph.D. in urban and regional science that same year from Texas A&M University in College Station.

In addition, the College of Architecture, Planning and Design is presenting Distinguished Service Awards to three individuals who have made exemplary contributions to K-State, the college and their professional communities.

Diane Potts, assistant to the dean of K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design, manages the increasingly complex fiscal affairs at the college as well as such events as the annual Telefund and DesignExpo. In addition, she arranges art exhibits and competitions for faculty and students, oversees the college's speakers series and is responsible for the college's public relations and promotions. Potts received her bachelor's degree in social science in 1976 from K-State. Her administrative work in the dean's office began in 1986.

Daniel F. Musser, senior vice president of Zimmer Real Estate Services, Kansas City, Mo., is being honored for revitalizing the department of architecture's professional advisory board. Among his other civic leadership roles is his presidency of the Kansas City Architecture Foundation, which supports scholarships for architecture students. Musser graduated from K-State in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in architecture. In 1989 he received his master's in real estate development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

Thomas A. Tyler, St. Louis, Mo., is an interior architect whose work ranges from the St. Louis Children's Hospital to the Panera Bread chain, has chaired the advisory board for K-State's department of interior architecture and product design since 2002. His interest in sustainable design shows up in his development of environmental language for the specification system used by architects across the United States. He also is a founding member of the St. Louis chapter of the United States Green Building Council. Tyler earned his bachelor's in architecture in 1974 from K-State.