Diane Murphy and Keegan Lopez honored as Professional Staff of the Week
Kansas State University recently recognized two employees as Professional Staff of the Week: Diane Murphy, assistant director and licensing officer in the College of Education's Center for Student Success and Professional Services, and Keegan Lopez, administrative specialist at K-State Libraries. Murphy was honored at the Nov. 3 home men's basketball game, and Lopez was recognized at the Nov. 6 game.
Murphy has served as an academic advisor since 1989 and has been the College of Education's licensing officer since 2004. In these roles, she has helped students navigate degree requirements and the process of earning teaching licenses in Kansas.
Since becoming assistant director of the Center for Student Success and Professional Services in 2018, Murphy has continued to guide students through their academic and professional goals. She works with students to identify pathways toward their degrees, helping them understand their options and the requirements needed to reach their goals.
Beyond her work with students, Murphy has served on numerous committees across the college and university. Her institutional knowledge and willingness to share her expertise have made her a valued resource to students and colleagues throughout more than 35 years of service to K-State.
Lopez oversees financial and administrative operations for K-State Libraries, including travel, purchasing and financial reporting. During the university's transition to SAP Concur, he served as the Libraries' primary business liaison, developing procedures and providing guidance to faculty and staff. His work earned recognition from General Accounting for excellence in expense report consistency and processing.
Following the university's cybersecurity incident, Lopez processed more than 220 payments totaling approximately $4 million to help meet fiscal deadlines. He also led the Libraries' MIP Cloud migration, preserving 15 years of accounting records and improving financial reporting processes.
Lopez also supports university outreach through partnerships with K-State 105 and the Office of External Engagement. He helped develop and promote the Sunderland Mobile Lab and has participated in community visits across Kansas to increase awareness of library resources. In 2025, he received the Lori Goetsch Professional Staff Award.
The Faculty and Professional Staff of the Week recognitions are coordinated by Faculty Senate, the Office of the President and K-State Athletics. Recipients are selected by Faculty Senate caucuses, provided tickets to a home basketball game of their choice and honored during halftime as a small token of appreciation for their service to K-State.
— Submitted by Susanne Renberg