K-State Human Ecology Celebration of Excellence to honor distinguished alumni

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Source: Debby Hiett, 785-532-5500, hiett@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Michelle Hall, 785-532-6415, mhall@k-state.edu

Friday, November 3, 2006

K-STATE HUMAN ECOLOGY CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE TO HONOR DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

MANHATTAN -- The Kansas State University College of Human Ecology will bring together alumni, faculty, students and guests for the annual Celebration of Excellence Friday, Nov. 3. The event includes a lecture, reception and recognition banquet honoring six alumni from the college.

The 2006 Alumni Award recipients are:

Patricia A. Kendall, who will receive the Distinguished Research Award. Kendall is a professor and Extension food and nutrition specialist at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. She earned a bachelor's degree in home economics education and a master's degree in foods and nutrition from K-State, and a doctorate in nutrition from Colorado State. At Colorado State, she has acted as major adviser to six doctoral candidates and 47 master's candidates, served as interim department head and graduate program coordinator, published 96 manuscripts in more than 20 refereed journals, and helped procure millions of dollars in federal grants. In 2007 Kendall will be a faculty member in residence at the University of Canberra in Australia. She has won various awards from Colorado State, including the 2006 Scholarly Excellence Award for the College of Applied Human Sciences. Kendall is a past president of the Society for Nutrition Education and the Colorado Dietetic Association and has held offices in Epsilon Sigma Phi and the Institute of Food Technologists.

Petros Levis, who will receive the Human Ecology Partner Award. Levis is a senior technology manager at General Mills, Minneapolis, Minn. A native of Greece, Levis earned his doctorate in food science with an emphasis in sensory analysis from K-State in 1998. As part of the product guidance and insights department at General Mills, Levis leads the business and plant support unit efforts. He has worked on teams credited with the launch and commercialization of many new products and technologies. Levis began his sensory analysis career at K-State's Sensory Analysis Center. He makes an annual visit to K-State to conduct a class lecture and meet with students to discuss industrial opportunities and challenges.

Joan Medlen, Portland, Ore., who will receive the Public Advocacy Award. After earning her degree in dietetics from K-State in 1987, Medlen, a registered dietician, worked in clinical and community education programs. Her life and career took a different path when her second child was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Frustrated by the lack of available information for families of people with Down syndrome regarding nutrition, feeding and healthful living, Medlen has spent the last 11 years working to educate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Four years ago she published "The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook," and, as project director of the charity organization Creating Solutions, she is the founding editor and publisher of Disability Solutions. Medlen is the clinical adviser for health literacy for the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete Health Promotion Program and serves on advisory boards for the National Down Syndrome Society Clinical Advisory Board and the National Down Syndrome Congress Professional Advisory Committee.

Vance Lahey, Spring Hill, Tenn., who will receive the Young Professional Award. Lahey earned his bachelor's degree from K-State in 2002 in family studies and human services, emphasizing in personal financial planning. He was a member of the K-State financial planning team, winning third place in the national American Express Collegiate Financial Planning Competition. Following his graduation, Lahey accepted a position with American Express Financial Advisors as a comprehensive financial planner. Within the first six months he shifted into a leadership role as an adviser-coach and was presented with the company's prestigious Mercury Award for a successful start in his career. In April 2005 Lahey moved into a manager position in Franklin, Tenn. In October of that year, American Express Financial Advisors became Ameriprise Financial. Lahey acquired his Certified Financial Planner designation in March 2006 and continues his practice in personal financial planning as an independent franchisee of Ameriprise Financial. He is a native of Moscow, Kan.

Marlyn Levendofsky Conrow, Dallas, Texas, who will receive the Entrepreneur Award. Conrow earned a bachelor's degree in 1973 from K-State in family and child development. She owns Bent Tree Child Development Center, one of the top-ranked early education programs in Dallas. Conrow opened Bent Tree in 1991 with only one part-time assistant. Bent Tree now employs 35 staff members and serves 250 students in 22 classrooms. Stimulating and age-appropriate multisensory experiences are the foundation of the curriculum. After moving to Dallas in the mid-1980s, Conrow initially worked educating child care providers on best practices and collaborated with major corporations to establish on-site child care services or expanded community child care options. She was born and raised near Belleville, Kan.

Mary P. Clarke-Barkley, Fort Worth, Texas, who is receiving the Distinguished Service Award. Clarke-Barkley is professor emeritus of human nutrition at K-State, having served for 26 years as a state specialist in nutrition education for K-State Research and Extension. Clarke-Barkley has organized the national Extension Elderly Nutrition Education Group and the first annual Kansas Nutrition Council Conference. She has served as president of the Kansas Dietetic Association and the Kansas Nutrition Council. A native of Madison, Ind., Clarke-Barkley earned a bachelor's degree in dietetics from Indiana University, a master's degree in foods and nutrition from Indiana State University and a doctorate in foods and nutrition from K-State in 1973. Following her retirement in 1999, she married Theodore "Ted" Barkley, K-State professor emeritus of biology, and moved to Fort Worth. Since his death in 2004, she keeps busy with volunteer work, travel and visiting family. She also is still active in dietetics, serving as secretary of the Fort Worth Dietetic Association.

Also being recognized with an award is K-State dining services, which will receive the Friend of the College Award. For 80 years, dining services has provided meals for campus residents while training dietetics and hotel and restaurant management students in the College of Human Ecology. Early dietitians at K-State were not only in charge of campus dining services, but also served as professors and academic administrators. However, as the university and its residence hall system grew, it became increasingly difficult for one person to be in charge of both functions. Eventually, the academic and operations administration functions were divided. Under John Pence, the current director, and his professional staff, K-State dining services maintains its role of support to the College of Human Ecology by teaching Food Production Management and catering special events for the college. According to the College of Human Ecology, this link between academics and operations is unique in the country, contributing to K-State's reputation as a leader in dietetics and hotel and restaurant management education.