Purple Praise: June 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 July 9 for the next feature.
Student success
IISE chapter elects new student leaders
K-State’s chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, the global organization for professionals and students in industrial and systems engineering, has selected new leaders for the 2025-2026 academic year. The organization offers industrial and manufacturing systems engineering students opportunities to build leadership skills, grow professionally and connect with their community.
Congratulations to the new IISE student leaders: Paige Dittrich – president; Audrey Steinert – vice president; Elise Arellano – secretary; Blake Aurand – treasurer; Lydia Etzel and Audrey Cook – chapter development co-chairs; Sophia Langreck and Allie Jones – Open House co-chairs; Abby Ness – social media chair; and Kyle Bush and Taylor Ziebold – intramural co-chairs.
APDesign celebrates 2025 Condia + Ornelas Traveling Prize winners
Matthew Murphy and Kylee O'Dell, both fifth-year Master of Architecture students, have been awarded the 2025 Condia + Ornelas Traveling Prize. Each receive a $5,000 grant to support four to six weeks of domestic or international travel focused on a primary area of study aligned with their personal and professional aspirations.
O'Dell’s project will examine the lifecycle of Olympic sites and their evolving relationship with surrounding communities. Murphy will investigate how literature and architectural space intertwine, focusing on cross-disciplinary models that challenge traditional urban narratives.
Powercat Motorsports team member receives national SAE award
Anish Srivastava, a recent graduate in mechanical and nuclear engineering, was selected as the recipient of the 2024 SAE International Award for Outstanding Student Leadership in STEM Honoring Max Rumbaugh.
The national award honors one outstanding student leader of one or more SAE activities and, through the award, encourages a vision within the student to become an SAE leader during their post-graduate career. Srivastava recently traveled to Detroit, Michigan, for the 2025 WCX World Congress Experience to receive the award. Additionally, he received a lifetime SAE membership, an award plaque and an honorarium in recognition of his hard work.
“Over the last few years, considerable progress has been made to move the team steadily up in the rankings at SAE Michigan,” said Kevin Wanklyn Powercat Motorsports advisor and teaching associate professor in the Alan Levin Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. “Anish’s hard work during his time at K-State, serving on a variety of leadership roles for the team, including a stint as club president, is a big part of why this team is the best in the Big 12 and one of the top teams in the country.”
After graduation Srivastava began work at Altec Industries in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Scott receives the 2024 Kansas School Counselor Association Hall of Fame Award
Melanie Scott, doctoral student in K-State’s Counselor Education and Supervision program at K-State, was announced as an honoree for the 2024 Kansas School Counselor Association Hall of Fame Award. This honor is given to those who have demonstrated distinguished service to the school counseling profession.
Scott is the doctoral representative for the Chi Sigma Iota Kappa Alpha Tau chapter of the Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International. She served as a 2024-2025 Graduate Teaching Assistant, teaching classes and supervising counseling interns in the K-State College of Education counseling program. Melanie is a licensed school counselor, LPC, and a passionate advocate for the counseling profession with over 20 years of experience as a school counselor and is very active in professional organizations. She is a co-author of "Educating and advocating: A professional responsibility for school leaders and school counselors."
Her areas of research include neuroscience in education, school counselor ethics and post-secondary resources for undocumented students.
APDesign awards 2025 Heintzelman Prize
Tom Murillo, fifth-year Master of Architecture student, was named the 2025 recipient of the Heintzelman Prize for his exceptional project, “Genius Loci,” completed under the guidance of Associate Professor Grant Alford. His work stood out among an impressive group of nominees selected by faculty from each fifth-year design studio.
In addition to the Heintzelman Prize, a $1,000 memorial award was presented in honor of Matthew Johnston, a 2013 APDesign graduate. The award was generously donated by Clark | Huesemann Architects of Lawrence, Kansas, where Johnston was employed.
Sudents nominated for the award include: Matthew Murphy, Kylee O'Dell, Miguel Perez, Crichton Hill, Matt Wright, Zach, Joseph Winter, Sydney and Mahlee Wohlford.
Annual IISE banquet celebrates student success
The industrial and manufacturing systems engineering department celebrated student achievements at the annual IISE banquet and awards celebration on April 24.
IMSE Departmental Awards:
- Outstanding IMSE Sophomore: Grace Yarnall
- Outstanding IMSE Junior: Paige Dittrich and Audrey Steinert
- Outstanding IMSE Senior: Riley Byrd and Trevor Chavez
- IMSE Outstanding Academic Achievement: Allison Kirby and Trevor Chavez
- Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher: Kyle Bush
- Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher: Jessica Heier Stamm
IISE Hardcharger Awards:
- Gamma: Joey Hilton
- Beta: Laura El-Koubysi
- Alpha: Paige Dittrich
IMSE Senior Awards:
- Outstanding IMSE Graduate: Carter Warta
- Outstanding IMSE Leadership: Allison Kirby
- IMSE Hardest Worker: Kayleigh Bednar
- IMSE Most Dedicated: Trevor Chavez
- IMSE Most Driven: Riley Byrd
- Outstanding MSDA Team Member: Hunter Christensen
David Ben-Arieh Engineering Award for Exemplary Leadership and Work Ethic: Paige Dittrich and Joey Hilton
Anita Ranhotra IISE Leadership Award: Cynthia Ndegwa
Mark and Kinley Neier IMSE Outstanding Consulting Student Award: Audrey Steinert
Gisela and Warren Kennedy Industrial Engineering Scholarship: Braylee Doughman and Katherine Flores
Benjamin and Jennifer Tryon Industrial Engineering Scholarship: Callan Carver, Paige Dittrich, Joey Hilton, Daniel Mitchell, Emma Shulda, Audrey Steinert and Dylan Potter
Larry and Eleanor Strecker Scholarship: Laura El-Koubysi and Abby Ness
Lynn E. Bussey Award: Trevor Chavez
Huschka Engineering Scholarship: Trevor Chavez
E. Stanley Lee and Yuan Lee Outstanding Graduate Student Award: Bihter Ozhan Zaidi and Hasan Syed
IMSE Professional Academy Awards: Nolan Rodriquez, Ryan Brethour, Jayne Siebold, Maritza Ortiz and Marcus Stavenger
Three students earned university-wide leadership awards:
- Kh M Asif Raihan and Kiley Jones received an Extraordinary Student Award from the Student Support and Accountability Office.
- Allison Kirby received the Anderson Senior Award for Outstanding Academics from the K-State Alumni Association.
Four students were recognized as Knights of Engineering: Kayleigh Bednar, Riley Byrd, Allison Kirby and Carter Warta
Faculty and staff achievements
April and May Staff Spotlight Award recipients announced
The Staff Spotlight Award highlights staff members each month for their service to the K-State community.
Melissa Janulis, history, and Ellen Liebenberg, human resources, were selected as the April 2025 recipients of the Staff Spotlight Award.
“Melissa Janulis is the quintessential Office Specialist that consistently goes the extra mile for students and for the faculty,” Janulis’ nomination reads. “She is expert in all the administrative systems on the campus. Her immense level of knowledge has enabled the department to streamline all administrative
transactions when dealing with any element outside of the department and her cheerful ‘get the job done’ attitude and demeanor have made her a favorite of both students and faculty members."
"Ellen takes time to sit down with those who might need a little extra guidance, assist with technology when there is a barrier, anxious retirees providing assurance that coverage is in place as
they move to their next chapter,” Liebenberg’s nomination reads. “You name it, and she gets it done. In the last year, it has been my observation that she has improved the customer service experience
for hundreds of employees. With our exceptional customer service initiative in HR, I feel Ellen is an exemplary example for all of us to model her attention and dedication to the people we serve.”
Meg Stopps, Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, and Kimberly Voigt, K-State Olathe student services, were selected as the May 2025 recipients of the Staff Spotlight Award.
“Meg oversaw the rewriting of each K-State Research and Extension web page and each Extension District and Local Unit web page to strategically align language,” her nomination read. “This ensured that all the pages had the correct language moving forward. This aligned the field offices with up-to-date language to support their efforts.”
“Kim does not just check off the boxes that are required of her, she will spring into action and help with any problem for any person in any department on the Olathe campus,” her nomination read. “Kim's contributions to the campus as a whole over the last decade have made a lasting impact on the growth and awareness of the campus. Equally as important, Kim's kindness and thoughtfulness toward everyone around her has fostered a sense of community amongst everyone who works or attends school at the Olathe campus.”
Anyone can nominate eligible employees. Nominees will be reviewed by a University Staff
Leadership committee of professional and support staff representatives. Winners receive $100 from the President’s Office. Submit nominations online by the first of each month.
Aileen June Wang delivers a talk at the Wichita Art Museum
Beach Museum of Art Curator Aileen June Wang presented the artistic evolution of Gordon Parks's photography at the Wichita Art Museum on Saturday, May 10. Her talk celebrated the opening of the exhibition "Homeward to the Prairie I Come: Gordon Parks Photographs at the Beach Museum of Art," which originated from K-State and is now touring nationally courtesy of the philanthropic arts organization Art Bridges. The exhibition is on view at Wichita Art Museum through July 27.
Taggart-Kagdis named 2025 ACUI Region II Director
Audrey Taggart-Kagdis, assistant director of marketing for the K-State Student Union, was recently elected as the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Region II Director.
An active member of the ACUI, Taggart-Kagdis has made a significant impact through her service and leadership. She received the Outstanding Staff Achievement Award in 2013 and the William H. Smith Outstanding Professional Award in 2016. Her volunteer contributions include serving on the national rebranding task force in 2017 and the strategic fundraising and corporate development task force in 2019. She later served as conference chair for the 2020 ACUI Region II virtual conference and as host chair for the 2023 ACUI Region II conference hosted at Kansas State University. Read more on the K-State Student Union website.
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, July 9, for consideration to include in next month's edition of Purple Praise.
Read past editions in the Purple Praise archives.