Celebrations of faculty, staff and students

From scholarly and organizational accolades to research discoveries and creative achievements, K-State's talented faculty, staff and students continue to advance the university's culture of excellence by providing and participating in hands-on, world-class experiences.

Purple Praise highlights notable accomplishments both on and off campus, including awards and honors, fellowships, performances, elections to regional and national boards or committees in professional organizations, conference presentations, and unique learning and engagement opportunities.

Nominations for the April 2026 edition of Purple Praise are due Friday, April 3. Self-nominations are welcome.

Student recognitions

College of Business Administration students compete in Tenaska Business Challenge

Business students Adam Ackerman, Jackie Castro, Kim Remily and Morgan Hyatt recently competed in the 2026 Tenaska Business Challenge against 20 teams from 14 other leading business institutions, including the University of Nebraska, Kansas University and Iowa State.

During the competition, teams were challenged to address a complex, real-world business problem faced by a gas company working to repair trust with its local community after a severe storm caused supply shortages and significant price increases.

The case required students to analyze data, evaluate community concerns and develop strategic recommendations that balanced business needs with community impact.

"We are incredibly proud of how the K-State team approached such a difficult and timely challenge," Tsvetomira Bilgili, associate professor of management and team coach, said. "Their work demonstrated not only strong analytical thinking, but also the ability to communicate solutions clearly and effectively."

Beyond the competition, the experience helped the students build professional skills by strengthening their presentation and communication abilities while networking with students from other universities and company representatives.

College of Veterinary Medicine announces rural scholarship awardees

The College of Veterinary Medicine has selected student awardees for the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas scholarship and the Rural and Underrepresented Scholarship for Hopeful Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Students, or RUSH DVM.

The Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas is a loan forgiveness program funded by the state of Kansas and awarded to first-year veterinary medicine students.

"This program serves an important role in maintaining high standards of veterinary care for livestock patients in the state of Kansas, particularly in rural locations and underserved parts of the state," said Elizabeth Davis, interim dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine.

This year's awardees are Gracie Becker, Burlington; Madison Bruna, Barnes; Brad Hill, Beloit; Todd Paisley, Manhattan; Miles Stum, Nickerson; and Samantha Woods, Cimarron.

RUSH DVM is a scholarship program funded by a $250,000 grant received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2024.

"The RUSH DVM program focuses on recruiting candidates to K-State College of Veterinary Medicine who are passionate about rural veterinary medicine, who are first-generation students and who have unique backgrounds and future interests," said Caroline Rost, assistant dean of admissions for the College of Veterinary Medicine.

New RUSH DVM scholars are Karli Miller, Kokomo, Indiana; Kristian Farran, Rogersville, Missouri; Nathan Frater, Frisco, Texas; Reighan Sherril, Keller, Texas; and Ellie Kidwell, Walhonding, Ohio.

K-State table tennis team competes in regional competition

Kansas State University's table tennis club capped a dominant division season with a historic first attendance at the regional competition.

After two sweeping victories at the Central Plains Divisional Tournament, the team earned a bid to the regional tournament at the University of Iowa, competing in both singles and doubles events against other qualifying Midwest teams.

Team captain Zhanxian Zhu secured several key victories, including a tiebreaking 3-0 doubles win over the University of Iowa with partner Ethan Collins. Xinru Liu and Zhizhong Shan also delivered standout performances.

The club's performance marked a historic step forward for the program, and the team has an optimistic vision for their next season and beyond.

Marketing students excel at National Collegiate Digital Marketing Championship

Kody Helms, Chase Ruda, Sophie Schumacher and Kira Stambaugh represented K-State's College of Business Administration at the third annual National Collegiate Digital Marketing Championship, earning standout placements across multiple group and individual categories.

As a team, K-State placed in the top four in Presentation Pro — a division requiring students to address a real-world marketing challenge and present strategic solutions to a panel of judges. The team finished ninth overall. Individually, Helms won the LinkedIn category in the Viral division. Schumacher, Ruda and Stambaugh placed 25th, 27th and 35th overall, respectively.

"Having the opportunity to put the skills I have learned in the classroom to use in real-life situations and competitions was something so special and rewarding," Stambaugh said.

In addition to competing, students connected with faculty, peers and industry professionals from across the country, strengthening networks and gaining insight into the digital marketing field. Beyond individual and team success, the experience reinforced the value of receiving a degree from K-State's marketing department.

"Competing against some of the best marketing students in the country was a great experience," Helms said. "Seeing how well our team performed together showed me that our marketing program is truly one of the best."

Women in Business students tackle sustainability challenge at national competition

Four Women in Business students — Chloe Lamb, Ally Reeder, Adrienne Emrick and Desirae Martinez — represented K-State's College of Business Administration at the National Women's Case Competition, held at the University of Texas at Austin.

The competition asked teams to develop a sustainability-focused solution for Apple Watch sensors. The team competed against students from 25 other universities, gaining valuable experience in research, problem-solving and presenting solutions.

"This competition taught us how to confidently pitch an idea, ask for help when needed and not be afraid of rejection," said Martinez. "We plan to use what we learned to reflect on areas where we can improve so we can come back stronger next year and see our name on the finalist list."

Modern Languages' literary journal turns 50, surpasses 1M downloads

The Studies in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Literature journal, edited by faculty members in the Department of Modern Languages and international scholars, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The journal was started in 1976 by K-State faculty members who donated their own money and time to the cause. Since then, it has published more than 1,000 articles, many book reviews, and two academic books.

In 2014, it moved to an open-access format, meaning all the research since 1976 is available online to anyone in the world for free. Since then, it has been downloaded more than 1 million times. Fun historical information is provided by the journal's current editor, Kathleen Antonioli, associate professor of French, in the introduction of Volume 50, Issue 1, published in January.

MBA students place second at national competition

Hazel Tsai, Anne Phillips, Kasundie Manulya and Carissa Jonak, MBA students from the College of Business Administration, earned second place at the Ivy MBA Mind-to-Market Case Challenge, a two-day innovation competition held at Iowa State University that connects science and technology organizations with entrepreneurial-minded MBA students. Teams were tasked with creating a go-to-market strategy for an exciting new technology firm that converts organic waste material into biochar and biocrude oil.

"I was especially proud of how this team gelled and worked together as a cohesive unit," said faculty coach Marne Arthaud-Day. "This was the first live competition for three of them. We had members with military experience, international students, both MBAs and MSDAs, a mix of ages, and backgrounds in information systems, biology, public health and human resources. They were also the only all-female team at the competition; I am proud and happy their hard work paid off."

The team competed against Iowa State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida, Saint Louis University, the University of Alabama, the University of New Haven and Baylor University.

"Everyone on the team had their own strengths, and we pushed each other to think through the problem from different angles," said Phillips. "It was a great example of women stepping into leadership roles in business and working together to take on a complex challenge."

Faculty and staff achievements

Brandie Disberger selected for Advisor Forum's March Charlie Award

The K-State Advisor Forum has selected Brandie Disberger, teaching associate professor in the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, as the March 2026 Charlie Award recipient, recognizing her work championing student success.

Disberger was described by her nominators as possessing a talent for encouraging student independence, problem-solving, responsibility and integrity. She was applauded for her work as an advisor and mentor, particularly for her assistance in the college's transition from faculty to professional advisors and for her above-and-beyond investment in student success.

"She recognizes college is a place for growth and maturity in students and supports them through that process while holding them accountable for their roles," one nominator said.

The Charlie Award, a monthly recognition created to honor outstanding academic advisors, is a peer-nominated award celebrating those who creatively engage in their work, have a positive impact on their students and demonstrate exemplary leadership.

Cindy Logan and Keegan Lopez receive K-State Libraries staff awards

K-State Libraries recognized its faculty and professional staff during their annual staff awards ceremony, honoring two individuals whose dedication and achievements exemplify excellence.

Cindy Logan, academic services librarian, received the Brice G. Hobrock Distinguished Faculty Award, which recognizes one faculty member for exemplary librarianship and contributions to K-State Libraries. Logan was applauded for her enthusiasm, dedication and work collaborating with faculty to incorporate information literacy and critical analysis skills into their courses. She was described as someone who makes challenging subjects more understandable while helping students build confidence, ask better questions and think like future professionals.

Keegan Lopez, budget and fiscal coordinator, received the Lori Goetsch Professional Staff Award, which recognizes one professional staff member whose work supports students and strengthens K-State Libraries. During the ceremony, Lopez was described as patient, dependable and professional while managing the Libraries' financial and travel needs. He was also celebrated for advancing the land-grant mission by promoting library resources, building connections across Kansas and helping ensure rural students have a positive college experience.

Grant Hill honored on region's 20 under 40 list for 2026

Grant Hill, deputy chief of staff for the Office of External Engagement and Office of the President, has been awarded the 2026 20 Under 40 award from the Junction City, Manhattan and Wamego Chambers of Commerce — a list recognizing emerging leaders making a meaningful impact in the region.

Chosen from nearly 75 nominees across Geary, Pottawatomie and Riley counties, Hill was one of 20 young professionals selected by the committee for their professional accomplishments and commitment to community engagement, highlighting his leadership and dedication to his community and K-State.

Sarah Lancaster honored for achievements in weed science

Sarah Lancaster, assistant professor of agronomy and K-State Extension specialist, recently received two awards recognizing her work in weed science.

Lancaster and her collaborators earned the 2025 Excellence in Journalism Award from the Weed Science Society of America for "War Against Weeds," a podcast funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. As a co-host, Lancaster helps audiences better understand the challenges farmers face in managing weeds. Winners were announced during the society's annual meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Feb. 9.

Lancaster also received the 2025 Distinguished Achievement Award for Education from the North Central Weed Science Society. She was honored at the society's annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this past December.

Socorro Herrera named American Educational Research Association Fellow

Socorro Herrera, professor of curriculum and instruction and director for the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy in the College of Education, has been selected as a 2026 Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, or AERA, among 33 other scholars nationwide.

The fellowship, one of the highest honors in educational research, recognizes exceptional impact and academic excellence. Herrera's research focuses on literacy opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students, reading strategies and preparing teachers to support inclusive classrooms.

Herrera will be formally inducted during a ceremony at AERA’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on April 9.

Yue Teng Vaughan publishes hospitality education research

Yue Teng Vaughan, assistant professor in the School of Consumer Sciences, recently published research examining how hospitality students perceive and learn about Environmental, Social and Governance, or ESG, principles in their education.

The study, which grew out of Vaughan's 2024 Big 12 Faculty Fellowship experience, identified gaps in ESG instruction — particularly the limited attention given to social and governance topics compared to environmental sustainability. The research draws on interviews with students from three U.S. hospitality programs.

2026 Sunflower Award for Corequisite Innovation presented to Kerr

The Kansas Board of Regents recognized Gabe Kerr, professor of mathematics, with the Sunflower Award for Corequisite Innovation. This award recognizes Kansas faculty leaders who are advancing student access and success through the implementation of corequisite reform. Rooted in KBOR’s Building a Future strategic plan, this award highlights faculty whose work helps remove barriers to gateway course completion and strengthens students' momentum toward degree attainment.

Kerr was recognized at the System Council of Chief Academic Officers meeting on March 11.