February 22, 2023
Suzy Auten recognized as Professional Staff of the Week
Suzy Auten, director of the Professional Master of Business Administration, or PMBA, program in the College of Business Administration, was recognized as Professional Staff of the Week at the Feb. 21 men's home basketball game. Faculty Senate, the Office of the President, K-State Athletics and the Division of Communications and Marketing wish to recognize her contributions to K-State.
Auten has served the last nine years as director of the PMBA program. She has served in elected leadership positions as a faculty senator, secretary for the Faculty Senate, and as a member of the Faculty Senate Leadership Council. Her other service commitments include serving as the College of Business Administration's representative on the Professional Staff Affairs Committee.
Auten was recently awarded the 2022 Kansas State Bank Outstanding Advising Award from the College of Business. This award is given annually, following nominations by students and peers and selection by the College's Awards and Recognition Committee. In 2018 she was also awarded the Outstanding Advisor award from K-State Global Campus.
"Ms. Auten is a great example of what the K-State family is all about," said Kevin Gwinner, Edgerley family dean of the College of Business Administration. "Most of her students are online, and some may never come to our campus; however, she makes all of them feel a part of the K-State community. As an advisor to her students, she emphasizes that as K-Staters they are connected to a great community of people who search for the good around them, stay engaged with the community they serve and find ways to make that community better. She is their coach and colleague, sharing with her students her belief that all individuals have the capacity to excel and achieve their goals."
The highlight of her career is the recent announcement of the PMBA program's national ranking as 12th in the nation and ninth among public institutions by U.S. News and World Report for 2023. This is the highest ranking in the program's history, having moved up from 24th last year.
Auten received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Kansas State University and began working full-time at the university in 1988.