Purple Praise: November 2025
Kudos and celebrations of student, faculty and staff achievements
K-State’s talented students, faculty and staff are frequently recognized for their exceptional scholarship, teaching and research or creative inquiry. Let’s celebrate their accomplishments.
Kudos highlight notable professional and student achievements from outside the university, such as awards and honors; fellowships; performances; elections to regional and national boards or committees in professional organizations; and conference presentations. Self-nominations are accepted.
Submit by Dec. 10 for the next feature.
Student success
K-State students recognized for school spirit in 2025 Homecoming competitions
This year’s overall winners are Kappa Kappa Gamma, FarmHouse and Acacia in the fraternity and sorority division; the Black Student Union in the student division; and College Heights Hall Council in the residence halls division.
Business students sharpen sales skills at Mylo Sales Competition
K-State’s National Strategic Selling Institute hosted the Fall 2025 Mylo Sales Competition, which provides students in the professional strategic selling program a chance to demonstrate their sales skills and network with industry professionals. Sponsored by Lockton, Lockton Affinity and Mylo, the two-round competition featured 23 participants, narrowing to nine finalists. Students engaged in realistic role-play scenarios with Mylo representatives acting as clients.
Top honors went to Skye Finnie, first place, Addie Fogarty, second place, Spencer Allen, third place, and Zaylor DeBruyn, Newcomer Award.
From Manhattan to Limpopo: WOEM students embark on a life-changing seminar in South Africa
Two K-State Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management students, Ian Bacon and Landon Rockers, recently returned from an unforgettable 14-day Craig Boddington Endorsed Outfitters Seminar in Limpopo, South Africa. Led by K-State student Richard R. Charlton Sr., the experience offered an immersive look at wildlife conservation, ethical hunting and the business of safari operations — all against the backdrop of RW Safaris International's Dorothy Lodge.
Throughout the seminar, students traded classrooms for the African bush, learning to track and identify wildlife, engaging in habitat restoration projects, and exploring how media and digital storytelling can promote conservation. The trip also provided valuable insights into community-based conservation and anti-poaching strategies, while connecting participants with leaders in the global outdoor industry — an experience that broadened their worldviews and strengthened their passion for wildlife management.
Honoring student veterans
Military-affiliated students have been a continuous presence on the K-State campus since 1863. In honor of Veterans Day, the Military Affiliated Resource Center extends a heartfelt thank you to student veterans for their service.
“Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the accomplishments and sacrifices of those who have served in the Armed Forces, including K-State's military-affiliated community,” said Andy Thompson, assistant vice president of student support and accountability and senior associate dean of students. “This week and every week, we are proud to recognize military-affiliated Wildcats.”
"The lived experiences and sacrifices of our K-State students, staff and faculty veterans make our community much stronger,” said Adam Ahlers, associate professor in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources.
Flint Hills Military History Symposium a success thanks to expert planning
K-State history graduate students earned high praise for their leadership in planning and hosting the 2nd Annual Flint Hills Military History Symposium. Their yearlong effort — supported by the Department of History, Hale Library and the College of Arts and Sciences — resulted in a seamless international conference that welcomed more than 120 attendees to campus and featured presenters from 26 institutions.
Even with last-minute venue changes caused by the federal government shutdown, the student organizers delivered an exceptional experience with engaging panels, library tours and a keynote from retired Gen. Richard B. Myers. Their professionalism, collaboration and commitment to showcasing K-State's strengths made the symposium a standout success.
Faculty and staff achievements
Pettay recipient of NACADA Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award
Robert Pettay, academic advisor and instructor of Health Sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences, was a recipient of the NACADA Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. Pettay was nominated for this award by Shawna Jordan, associate dean of the college. Jordan stated, “Dr. Pettay is recognized as a true advocate for students…he offers invaluable support and coaching to students, many of whom have faced challenges during their initial college experience or are still searching for the right academic fit.”
In addition, Taylor Williams, academic advisor in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and Lindsey Cordill, academic advisor in the College of Business were nominated for NACADA’s Outstanding Advisor Award.
Advisor Forum presents November Charlie Award
The K-State Advisor Forum has selected Tahnee Jacobs, academic advisor in the College of Business Administration, as the recipient of the November Charlie Award.
Tahnee was nominated for this recognition in honor of her outstanding contributions to enhancing K-State students’ experiences.
“Tahnee is an amazing advisor,” said Lindsey Cordill. “She cares about her students so much and works so hard to find answers to their questions. She is the best colleague — so genuine and truly cares about how others are doing. She cares about learning and wants the best for her students. She is always willing to step in and help. It is truly an honor to work alongside her and be able to call her my colleague and friend.”
K-State’s OEIE and KCCTO present at national conference
The Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation and Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, a university special project, presented strategies and lessons learned from a statewide study of the Early Childhood Care and Education workforce at the 2025 American Evaluation Association national conference.
The presentation showcased approaches for engaging communities, designing evaluations and
translating data into practical, actionable recommendations.
The project focused on understanding the recruitment and retention challenges of early childhood professionals and translating those insights into practical guidance for advocacy and state-level workforce
development. By partnering with local coalitions, Extension agents, and training organizations,
OEIE created trusted spaces for honest dialogue and feedback. Lessons from the study are already informing professional development planning, shaping policy conversations, and contributing to initiatives like the Kansas Career Pathway for ECCE professionals and the Cape workforce registry.
McGill receives NACADA Leigh S. Shaffer award
Craig McGill, associate professor, received the prestigious Leigh S. Shaffer Award, which recognizes an author of an article that has contributed significantly to the scholarship of academic advising. He was honored for his groundbreaking article, "The Professionalization of Academic Advising: A Structured Literature Review." The highly cited work—which fueled McGill’s research agenda—is a strategic blueprint that has redefined the professional standing of advising, guided future research, and directly influenced institutions' decisions regarding advisor training and career structure.
“This award reminds me of why Leigh’s work mattered—and still matters,’ McGill said. “He believed that
for advising to grow, we need people willing to do the hard work of building knowledge and passing it
forward. This recognition is as much a tribute to his influence as it is to the scholarship itself.”
Send us your kudos!
Do you have a current K-State student, staff or faculty member you'd like to highlight? Submit their information by Wednesday, Nov. 5, for consideration to include in next month's edition of Purple Praise.
Read past editions in the Purple Praise archives.