Advancing excellence: 70 K-State faculty promoted, 27 earn tenure

Looking over the lawn from behind the leaves of a tree on a sunny day at Anderson Hall at Kansas State University, a limestone building with a central clock tower.

Monday, March 23, 2026

Seventy Kansas State University faculty members are receiving promotions in rank, with 27 faculty members earning tenure, effective July 1.

"I am thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of these incredible faculty members actively advancing their fields through teaching, research and service," said Jesse Perez Mendez, provost and executive vice president. "We are proud of what they do for Kansas State University, but perhaps even more importantly, we are proud that their efforts have a long-lasting impact that stretches far beyond our own institution."

The promotions include 31 faculty members to the rank of full professor, 26 faculty members to the rank of associate professor with tenure, 12 additional faculty promotions, and one faculty member earning tenure.

"These faculty members have played and continue to play a pivotal role in developing students into future leaders, promoting access to knowledge and driving innovation that improves lives, advances progress and enhances well-being across our society," said Mendez. "I congratulate these newly tenured and promoted faculty, and I look forward to their continued efforts as valued members of the Kansas State University community."

Earning promotion to full professor are:

  • Adam Ahlers, horticulture and natural resources
  • Heather Bailey, psychological sciences
  • Thomas Bell, academic services
  • Nathaniel Birkhead, political science
  • Jessica Canfield, landscape architecture and regional and community planning
  • Juan Du, statistics
  • Anthony Ferraro, health sciences
  • Ruth Gurgel, music, theatre and dance
  • Lucas Haag, agronomy
  • Howard Hahn, landscape architecture and regional and community planning
  • Elaine Johannes, health sciences
  • Hyung "Jin" Kim, landscape architecture and regional and community planning
  • Michael Krysko, history
  • Yonghui Li, grain and food science
  • Travis Linnemann, sociology, anthropology and social work
  • Katie Loughmiller, architectural engineering and construction science
  • Chad Paulk, grain and food science
  • Rustam Sadykov, mathematics
  • Lado Samushia, physics
  • A.J. Tarpoff, animal sciences and industry
  • Patricia Thompson, music, theatre and dance
  • Phil Tiemeyer, history
  • Peter Tomlinson, agronomy
  • Laura Valentín-Rivera, modern languages
  • Jessie Vipham, animal sciences and industry
  • Nicholas Wallace, health sciences
  • Andrew Wefald, leadership studies
  • Hongyu Wu, electrical and computer engineering
  • Yang "Lydia" Yang, special education, counseling and student affairs
  • Lydia Zeglin, biology
  • Zhiwei Zhang, political science

Earning promotion to associate professor with tenure are:

  • Kelsey Andersen Onofre, plant pathology
  • Manreet Singh Bhullar, horticulture and natural resources
  • Edwin Brokesh, biological and agricultural engineering
  • Rachel Dirks, music, theatre and dance
  • Helena Egbert, archives and special collections
  • Christopher Fein, architecture
  • Mariana Garcia Junqueira, interior architecture and industrial design
  • Victor E. Gomez Leon, animal sciences and industry
  • Hernan Gregorio, interior architecture and industrial design
  • Clay Hallman, clinical sciences
  • Nellie Hill-Sullins, communications and agricultural education
  • Carol Johnston, human sciences
  • Angela Kraemer-Holland, curriculum and instruction
  • Sarah Lancaster, agronomy
  • Kim Klinger-Logan, mathematics
  • Allison Louthan, biology
  • Jingru Mu, statistics
  • Katie Olsen, advertising and public relations
  • Nadia Oweidat, history
  • Davood Pourkargar, chemical engineering
  • Michael Pritchard, integrated studies
  • Zak Ratajczak, biology
  • Ambyr Rios, curriculum and instruction
  • Manreet Singh Bhullar, horticulture and natural resources
  • Yue Teng-Vaughan, consumer sciences
  • Austin Walden, aviation
  • Morgan Zumbaugh, animal sciences and industry

Dustan Ridder, agronomy, will be promoted to agronomist.

Jared Crain, plant pathology, is earning promotion to research associate professor.

Earning promotion to teaching associate professor are:

  • Bailey Brown, engineering
  • Sarina Maneotis, psychological sciences
  • Wendy Reeves, biology

Earning promotion to teaching professor are:

  • Paige Adams, applied and professional studies
  • Rachel Levitt, social transformation studies
  • Susan Maxwell, music, theatre and dance
  • Eve McCulloch, biology

Cody Dressler, clinical sciences, is earning promotion to clinical associate professor.

Earning promotion to clinical professor are:

  • Neala Boyer, clinical sciences
  • Shane Lyon, clinical sciences

Barbara Mitchell, special education, counseling and student affairs, is earning tenure.

— Submitted by Office of the Provost

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