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School of Dentistry selects Terry O’Toole to receive Alumni Award
Terry G. O'Toole (D.D.S. '81)
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, UMKC School of Dentistry is honoring Terry G. O’Toole (D.D.S. ’81) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
O’Toole served the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration for more than 35 years and held various roles within the organization including staff dentist, chief of Dental Service and director of Dental Informatics and Analytics. O’Toole retired in April 2018 and took a moment to reflect on his career.
Tell us about your role managing dental care deployment for veterans.
As chief of Dental Service at the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in San Diego, California, I was responsible for leading the hospital clinical service in coordinating and overseeing the oral health care of approximately 3,500 to 4,000 eligible Veterans annually.
“So that’s why they made us learn all that stuff first and second year!”
You led the charge for evolving the electronic record system at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Why was transforming the system such a high priority for you?
We needed to know more about the patient to provide them the best care. As director of Dental Informatics and Analytics, I saw the opportunity as a way to improve things on a national scale.
Poor oral health can contribute to the worsening of many diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. By creating and evolving a highly integrated medical/dental electronic health record system as we did, medical and dental practitioners alike have a complete view of the patient that improves clinical decision making and ultimately results in better patient care.
What is your favorite UMKC memory?
An “aha” moment for me came after graduation. I was only days into my hospital residency and treating a patient with a physical anomaly and its corresponding medical condition, when I started thinking, “So that’s why they made us learn all that stuff first and second year!”
About the Alumni Awards
O’Toole will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 30, 2019
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About 800 students will benefit from three new or expanded scholarship programs based on both merit and need over the next nine years
About 800 students will benefit over the next nine years from a new $20-million scholarship program established by the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation, the H & R Block Foundation and the University of Missouri System.
Under the program announced today, the two Foundations will provide $10 million to be matched by a combined $10 million from UMKC and two UM System scholarship programs: the Promise and Opportunity Scholarships program, and the Next Generation Merit Program.
This represents the second $20-million scholarship initiative announced at UMKC in the last three months. In November 2018, the university announced a similar $20-million scholarship initiative in partnership with KC Scholars.
“The name Bloch is synonymous with generosity, leadership and service, on this campus and in this community,” said Mauli Agrawal, UMKC chancellor. “This wonderful gift will change the lives of hundreds of individuals, who in turn will go on to produce lifelong benefits to this community. This is one more example of how one family, and one company, can literally change the course of an entire community for the better.”
The new scholarship program – named the Bloch Family Scholarships – expands one existing UMKC scholarship program and adds two new ones. All three programs will launch in Fall Semester 2019.
“The name Bloch is synonymous with generosity, leadership and service, on this campus and in this community,” said -Mauli Agrawal, UMKC chancellor.
The Henry W. Bloch/UMKC Promise and Opportunity Scholars program expands the existing Henry W. Bloch Scholars program to serve approximately 200 students; currently 47 students are enrolled in the program. The program targets promising students from urban neighborhoods who would not be considered for traditional scholarship programs due to past academic performance or life circumstances. The program had been limited to low-income students starting their college careers at either Donnelly College or Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley Campus, and then transferring to UMKC to complete a bachelor’s degree. The newly expanded program will serve about 100 high-need students in the transfer program plus about another 100 high-need students enrolling at UMKC as first-time freshmen. The program is budgeted at a total cost of $6.4 million ($2 million to be funded by the Bloch Family Foundation and $1.2 million from the H & R Block Foundation).
“My career will be focused on giving back to this community. That is the example that the Bloch family has set,” said Brian Ramirez, a student currently enrolled as a Henry W. Bloch Scholar. “That example, and the generosity of the Bloch Family Foundation and the H & R Block Foundation, made my journey possible. That’s what inspires me.”
This new Marion H. Bloch/UMKC Next Generation Merit Scholars program is designed to attract, encourage and support underserved, high performing students living in urban environments in greater Kansas City. This signature program complements the Henry W. Bloch Scholars. The program is expected to serve more than 100 students at a total scholarship cost of $4 million ($2 million to be funded by the Bloch Family Foundation).
The Bloch Launchpad Scholars program is designed to attract highly qualified undergraduate students to the Bloch School of Management who are motivated to integrate academic and professional development experiences. Because of UMKC’s positioning in Kansas City, the program will provide distinctive opportunities for students to combine academic coursework and on-campus engagement with internships, service learning, mentoring programs, and other career-related experiences. This program provides a unique opportunity for the Bloch School and UMKC to partner with organizations throughout greater Kansas City to develop talent for the region and provide outstanding educational experiences for students. Launchpad Scholarships require a commitment to engaging in professional development activities, with award levels varying with academic performance. While the total number served by this program will depend on the mix of award winners and may vary by year, it is anticipated that approximately 500 students will be served at a total cost of $9.6 million ($4.8 million to be funded by the Bloch Family Foundation).
“Today’s announcement reflects the continued confidence that the Bloch family and the H & R Block Foundation have in UMKC, the University of Missouri System, and in the young people of our community,” said Thomas M. Bloch, chair of both the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation and the H & R Block Foundation. “We are proud to support these opportunities, because we know what an investment like this means to the future of Kansas City.”
This story was also featured on: KSHB 41, KCUR
Jan 29, 2019
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Local media report on the new programs that will help hundreds of students
Read The Kansas City Star article: Bloch family helps UMKC Give millions in scholarships to Kansas City area students
Read the KSHB story: UMKC announces new scholarship in partnership with Bloch Family and H & R Bloch foundations
Read the KCUR article: Another $20 million pours in to help Kansas City area students attend UMKC
Jan 29, 2019
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Alison DeSimone of Conservatory was a guest on “Central Standard”
Listen to the KCUR segment on "Women Composers."
Jan 29, 2019
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School of Dentistry – Dental Hygiene selects Rebecca Stolberg to receive Alumni Award
Rebecca Stolberg (M.S. '96)Senior Director, Allied Dental Education and Faculty Development, ADEA
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, UMKC School of Dentistry – Dental Hygiene is honoring Rebecca Stolberg (M.S. ’96) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
During her time as a professor, department chair and interim assistant dean at Eastern Washington University, Stolberg received $461,324 in grant funding and created a program that increased access to dental care for rural Washington state residents. Now, she serves as senior director of allied dental education and faculty development at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) in Washington, D.C. She spoke with us about her new role.
Tell us about your typical workday in Washington, D.C.
I am surrounded by 70 other professionals who are all here to serve our members and be the voice of dental education. Members take priority in my day, followed by work with administrative boards, conference planning, speaker recruitment and advocacy on Capitol Hill. Instead of impacting a small group of students and faculty at a university, I get to impact large groups of health professionals in the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe.
What would you like to accomplish in your role?
ADEA was founded by dental schools. More recently, it saw the value of focusing on allied dental professionals — dental assisting, dental hygiene, dental laboratory technology and the newer field of dental therapy. I am the first full-time allied dental person based in the D.C. headquarters. My goals revolve around insuring allied dental professions are integrated into everything ADEA does.
What advice do you have for UMKC students who’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Keep in touch with your faculty — you never know when you’ll need a letter of recommendation or to pick their brain.
About the Alumni Awards
Stolberg will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 28, 2019
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Bryan Betancourt shares how his experiences at UMKC and in business are shaping him
Our ongoing story starts with people from around the world, converging here at UMKC. Get to know our people and you’ll know what UMKC is all about.
Bryan Betancourt ’20 Academic program: Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance, Henry W. Bloch School of ManagementHometown: Raytown, Missouri
Why UMKC?
The Bloch School has produced talented professionals and continues to do so by supporting students with great resources. I also chose UMKC because of its diverse campus and sense of culture. I feel welcomed because UMKC creates a sense of community.
What’s it like being in the Bloch business program?
The greatest benefit of being a business student at UMKC is the professors. UMKC has business professors who are masters in their field because of their deep knowledge and experience. Bloch professors understand students and work with us to ensure we stay on track.
The Bloch school has inspired me to dream big and pursue an MBA. I enjoy my time at the Bloch school and feel special when I walk inside the buildings because I am privileged to go to a great university that has great resources! I know I will come out of business school ready to tackle the workforce. I have connected with many professionals through the school and have gained knowledge through those connections.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in at UMKC?
I am currently the treasurer for the Association of Latin American Students, and we partnered with a local scholarship provider, the Hispanic Development Fund, to financially aid Latinx UMKC DACA students by fundraising more than $8,500. We try to be a familia, or family, for students and help each other. We are proud of what we have done for our UMKC community and look forward to contributing more.
"UMKC has business professors who are masters in their field because of their deep knowledge and experience."
What internships or professional experiences have you had while at UMKC?
I had an internship at Sporting Kansas City as their event marketing ambassador. I experienced how the sports industry works internally, I gained professional office skills, and I learned how the company values their office staff. I expressed my productivity and showed how UMKC grows upcoming professionals.
What are your lifelong goals?
I want to be a leader and a manager. I plan on using my leadership qualities I have gained to continue to learn and become a future leader in an office setting. UMKC has taught me to value staff and respect everyone equally. I live by the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated.
Jan 25, 2019
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School of Education selects Deborah Siebern-Dennis to receive Alumni Award
Deborah Siebern-Dennis (B.A. '05)Teacher, Bode Middle School
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, UMKC School of Education is honoring Deborah Siebern-Dennis (B.A. ’05) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
As a seventh-grade science teacher at Bode Middle School in St. Joseph, Missouri, Siebern-Dennis is known for her engaging lessons, understanding of students’ needs and passion for learning. She is currently one of 45 middle school science teachers from across the U.S. selected to participate in a two-year teaching and learning project funded by the National Science Foundation. The project will emphasize disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts. She sat down with us to share the scoop on teaching.
What are the benefits of teaching middle school students?
I absolutely love middle school students because they are at the age where they are just starting to expand their perspectives and learn about the world. It is in middle school that they start to use the information they have been given to form their own ideas about the environment around them.
What are the challenges?
Technology is changing our world more and more every day. It creates challenges for us because we have to constantly learn and try to stay caught up, which is no easy task.
What advice do you have for UMKC students who’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Never lose that spark that you had when you started teaching. Teaching, like many careers, will always have ups and downs. When you wake up every day remind yourself that your goal is to make a positive difference in the world no matter what and keep your focus on that at all times.
About the Alumni Awards
Siebern-Dennis will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 25, 2019
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KSHB runs TV spotlight
There are fans. Then, there are super fans, like the group from Chicago that found its way to the Swinney Recreation Center for Saturday’s 63-54 comeback win against Seattle University. Watch the story.
Jan 25, 2019
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KCUR airs story about music inspired by the late internationally acclaimed poet and UMKC English professor Michelle Boisseau
Though people will be able to read Boisseau's work in books for the imaginable future, two other professional artists have now memorialized her poetry in an entirely different art form. Learn more in the story.
Jan 25, 2019
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Student Colton Elliott Stands Out Amongst 3,500 Missouri Guardsmen
Being selected as the Missouri Air National Guard’s Non-commissioned Officer of the Year was a “huge surprise” to studio art junior and photojournalist Colton Elliott, but for his supervisor, Lt. Traci Howells, it was not.
When it came time to submit nominations for who would receive the award, Howells said she knew right away that she wanted to nominate Elliott.
“Colton is absolutely one of the best. It’s not easy to balance civilian and military life and give your best in both capacities, but Colton does just that,” Howells said.
There are roughly 3,500 Air National Guardsmen stationed between the state’s three Air Force bases – 131st Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, where Elliott is located, 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph, and State Headquarters located in Jefferson City. To get a major award like Officer of the Year means guardsmen have to stand out amongst the slew of other officers in Missouri.
“It is an extreme honor to work with Colton. He’s overcome a great deal of adversity in his life and has worked hard to get to where he is today. I’m inspired by his work ethic, his quiet leadership and humility,” -Howells said.
Every year, each base nominates their top performers for the Officer of the Year award and candidates are judged in five categories: leadership, job performance, significant self-improvement activities, military or civilian awards and representation in the community.
“Being named the Non-commissioned Officer of the Year for my wing was a huge accomplishment on its own, but also being named Officer of the Year for the state has left me speechless,” Elliott said.
Elliott spent six months deployed in the Middle East last year and flew on more than 20 combat missions over Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, documenting these events for historical and intelligence purposes. During his deployment he also served on multiple high-visibility international projects, including the Dubai airshow, for which he coordinated the creation of media credentials with the embassy and then served as a media escort for the event.
That’s not the extent of Elliott’s talent, though. The resident photo-expert, as he is affectionately called on base, is also a self-taught graphic artist. He’s worked on multiple marketing projects for the Missouri National Guard headquarters and his work has been displayed in high schools throughout the state to aid in recruitment campaigns.
“It is an extreme honor to work with Colton. He’s overcome a great deal of adversity in his life and has worked hard to get to where he is today. I’m inspired by his work ethic, his quiet leadership and humility,” Howells said.
“Although this is an individual award, I know that it can’t be achieved alone. Without the help from my team and leadership I wouldn't be where I am today,” Elliott said.
Howells is proud to serve with him at the 131st Bomb Wing.
"I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Colton and have no doubt he will be very successful in all he does,” she said.
UMKC is proud of its military and veteran students and alumni. Learn more about UMKC Veteran and Military Resources.
Jan 24, 2019
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Preferred site is directly adjacent to existing Olson Performing Arts Center
The University of Missouri-Kansas City plans to build the new home for its performing arts programs on the university’s Volker Campus.
The proposed new home for the university’s internationally acclaimed Conservatory of Music and Dance and Department of Theatre will be on campus on a site immediately adjacent to the existing Olson Performing Arts Center and will face Volker Boulevard, creating a dramatic, iconic new front door to campus. It will be a significant addition to an arts corridor that already includes the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City Art Institute campus and the newly expanded and remodeled Olson Center, home of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre.
The decision to locate the new Conservatory on campus is the culmination of a years-long process to find just the right home for UMKC’s celebrated performing arts programs. Several years ago, downtown Kansas City looked like it would become that new home, but in recent months, UMKC shifted its focus back to a location on or near the Volker campus, based on feedback from students, faculty and key community stakeholders.
With a new location selected, UMKC leaders say they are ready to take the next steps.
The profile of the Conservatory, and the community’s commitment to it, has risen dramatically in recent years, ever since the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce named it one of the metro’s “Big Five” top priorities. In 2018, UMKC announced a possible merger of the Conservatory and UMKC Theatre department, which could further enhance the Conservatory’s reputation and reach – allowing it to expand programming and attract new students. The project aligns well with the city’s plan to extend the popular Downtown Streetcar, which will provide a convenience for new audiences to engage with this facility.
“The heart of Kansas City’s vibrant and vital performing arts community has always been in UMKC’s performing arts programs, so it is fitting that those be located in the heart of our campus,” said -Chancellor Mauli Agrawal.
Leaders in the Missouri General Assembly continue to express strong support for the project, and next steps would include revisiting potential funding for the project going forward.
The Conservatory will play a vital role in the overall success of the university as UMKC must improve its facilities to continue to meet accreditation standards and preserve its reputation as one of the country’s best performing arts schools.
“The heart of Kansas City’s vibrant and vital performing arts community has always been in UMKC’s performing arts programs, so it is fitting that those be located in the heart of our campus,” said Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. “Keeping that heart beating strongly is a community imperative. The continuing approval of our accrediting bodies is dependent on bringing this project to fruition. The time has come to move from the talking and planning phases to the action phase.”
Agrawal cited the important role the performing arts play in the economies of the community and the state. The performing arts are a $1 billion industry for the state of Missouri, with impacts felt from the state’s urban centers, to tourism meccas such as Branson, to the high school bands, church choirs and storefront dance studios that are the pride of communities from Maryville to Poplar Bluff.
Next Steps
Now that the new site has been chosen, UMKC will:
Review program needs for music, dance and theatre, set final square footage and estimated final cost.
Choose professional teams for architecture, design and construction.
Consult with key individuals – donors, civic leaders, Missouri’s governor and state legislature, among others – to finalize funding for the project.
The new facility will provide suitable space for performance, composition and research at the university that for decades has been designated as Missouri’s Campus for the Visual and Performing Arts by the University of Missouri System.
UMKC Music, Dance and Theatre programs share a proud history of leadership in the arts and a profound impact on the cultural life of Kansas City and the state of Missouri. UMKC arts programs, faculty and alumni have provided the foundation of almost all of the Kansas City community’s premier performing arts organizations.
This story was also featured on: The Washington Times, The Kansas City Star, KSHB 41, Kansas City Business Journal, KCUR, KCTV5, Fox 2 St. Louis, News Tribune, Columbia Daily Tribune, St. Joseph Post
Jan 24, 2019
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School of Law selects Paul F. Kavanaugh to receive Alumni Award
Paul Kavanaugh (J.D. '84)Attorney, Rollins/Kavanaugh, PC
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, UMKC School of Law is honoring Paul F. Kavanaugh (J.D. ’84) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
As a trial lawyer specializing in medical malpractice, Kavanaugh has represented seriously injured clients for more than 30 years. As co-founder of the Kavanaugh Charitable Trust, started with his wife Debbie (B.S.P. ’85), he has funded elementary schools in Cambodia, donated wheelchairs to the underserved and created a scholarship for UMKC Law students. Kavanaugh spoke with us about his dedication to giving back.
How did you come to focus on medical malpractice/negligence as your field of specialty?
I started working with two prior UMKC School of Law Alumni Achievement Awardees, Lantz Welch (J.D. ’59) and James “Jim” Bartimus (J.D. ’77), as a law student. Jim specialized in medical negligence and I was drawn to it because of its complexity and the fact that it was considered one of the hardest areas to win at as a trial lawyer.
Through the trust, you’ve funded schools, clinics and roads in developing countries, donated wheelchairs and created scholarships at UMKC. Why is it important to you to give back?
We started the trust with two goals: to support higher education with scholarships for students in need at all of my colleges and both our professional schools (Debbie was the Alumni Achievement Awardee previously for the UMKC School of Pharmacy), and provide wheelchairs to mobility impaired people around the world. Both Debbie and I know that if we did not get our educations we would not be where we are or able to give back.
What advice do you have for UMKC students who’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Find out what you what to do and never quit. I was told “no” for student intern jobs by over a dozen firms. If I would have gotten any of those jobs, I would not be where I am.
About the UMKC Alumni Awards
Kavanaugh will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 24, 2019
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Extensive media coverage of announcement
UMKC announces plans to build conservatory on campus
The Washington Times
KC ‘arts corridor’: Here’s where UMKC will build its conservatory of music and dance
The Kansas City Star
UMKC Conservatory to be located on main campus
KSHB
UMKC selects a location for conservatory
Kansas City Business Journal
University Of Missouri-Kansas City To Build New Conservatory Of Music And Dance On Campus
KCUR
UMKC announces plans to build conservatory on campus
KCTV5
UMKC announces plans to build conservatory on campus
Fox2
UMKC announces plans to build conservatory on campus
News-Tribune
Jan 24, 2019
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Students, faculty, staff and community join together to deliver 1,000 oral hygiene kits
Dental student Chanelle Roberts knew she wanted the inaugural UMKC School of Dentistry MLK Day of Service to be big.
“All of this definitely exceeded my expectations,” said Roberts, as she motioned to the crowd of nearly 100 volunteers assembling 1,000 oral hygiene kits at the school.
She and about 20 other students were joined by the school’s staff and faculty, including Dean Marsha Pyle and internationally recognized researcher Sarah Dallas, as well as members of St. James United Methodist Church.
The kits of toothbrushes and toothpaste, donated by Colgate-Palmolive, GlaxoSmithKline and Procter & Gamble, were delivered to children and adults at St. James, the Ronald McDonald House, City Union Mission, reStart, American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, Hope Faith Ministries, Jackson County Family Court and the Kangaroo Pantry at UMKC.
“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
Roberts is part of the School of Dentistry diversity task force, which was looking for a way to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and demonstrate its core value of compassion, taking a genuine interest in the needs of those we serve in order to help them live healthy and productive lives through the services we deliver.
“Since we are not able to provide dental care on this day due to the holiday, we decided to provide hygiene kits to stress the importance of oral health and make the community aware of the role the UMKC School of Dentistry plays in improving oral health in Kansas City and the states of Missouri and Kansas,” said Jeff Primos, director of business administration at the School of Dentistry. “Health and wellness is important for everyone, and the mouth is the gateway to overall health.”
Because of all of the helping hands, the task of assembling such a large number of oral hygiene kits was finished more than hour ahead of schedule.
“This feels really good,” Roberts said.
This story was also featured on:Fox 4 KC
Jan 22, 2019
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Five students win scholarship for once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Scuba diving in Malta, studying Spanish culture in Spain, hiking in Peru — these are just a handful of opportunities that give you the chance to immerse yourself in another culture when you study abroad. While the cost can be an obstacle, what you may not realize is that there are several ways to offset the expense of living and learning in another country.
The congressionally funded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship provides financial support to outstanding undergraduate Pell Grant recipients who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise study abroad. Recently, five UMKC Roos received the Gilman scholarship, for a combined total of $16,500, to help fund their study abroad experiences in spring and early summer 2019.
“Growing up, my parents could only afford to give me what I absolutely needed. They couldn’t even afford to send me to college, so studying abroad would not be possible without the Gilman Scholarship,” says -Brian Ramirez,
junior health sciences major. He is minoring in Spanish and plans to study in Spain.
As a first-generation college student and son of Mexican immigrants, Ramirez says he’s grateful that he is able to attend college and to even have an opportunity to consider studying abroad. After all, hundreds of students across the country apply for the Gilman scholarship each year.
Another Gilman scholar, Katrena Smith, says her study abroad location was, in a way, fate. Her grandfather confirmed her decision to study in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He told her how beautiful it was when he was stationed there years ago when he was in the military.
Slovenia’s beautiful landscape and her personal connection to the country excited Smith, a photographer hobbyist, who also plans to document the culture shock of Slovenia. Even more, she’s going to partner with the American Cancer Society to blog her six-month experience abroad for teenage cancer patients, to show girls the opportunities she’s been granted since beating leukemia at age 11.
“I didn’t think I’d be here, so it means a lot to me to show other girls that it’s possible for them,” says Smith, who will spend the spring 2019 semester immersed in Slovenia’s college life. She will stay in a dormitory with a roommate while studying sociology at the local university in Ljubljana.
When he returns to the states, Ramirez and will go back to his high school alma mater and speak to students about the value of study abroad.
“Why not go back to where I came from? I want other kids who struggled like me to see that it’ll be okay, that it’s possible to go to college and even study abroad,” says Ramirez, who will live with a host family and take classes at the University of Malaga. He’s excited to compare the different dialects of Spanish spoken between Mexico and Spain.
Gilman Scholarship Awardees
Spring Semester 2019
Katrena Smith, SloveniaPsychology major; Family Studies and Sociology minor
Early Summer 2019
Jacob Furry, Denmark Music Education, Music Performance – Trumpet major; Psychology minor; Honors
Niesha King, Spain Psychology and Spanish majors
Brian Ramirez, Spain Health Sciences major; Spanish minor
Sarah Schleicher, Costa Rica Spanish major; Latina/Latino Studies minor
Apply for the Gilman Scholarship
The Gilman Scholarship applications for the “regular” 2019 summer round as well as fall 2019 and academic year 2019-20 will open in mid-January and be due on March 5. The UMKC International Academic Programs office offers multiple Gilman Scholarship workshops each semester and provides individualized advising in advance of the national deadline. The next Gilman Workshop will take place 4 to 5 p.m. Jan. 30 in the Atterbury Student Success Center, Room 236.
Jan 22, 2019
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Alon Goldstein, classical pianist and visiting professor, was a guest on KCUR
Alon Goldstein hopes to bring new excitement to Rachmaninoff's music as he tackles a 27-minute piano piece. Goldstein says "immersing myself in such incredible beauty and romanticis," brings him joy in playing the challenging ensemble. Listen to the "Up to Date" interview.
Jan 22, 2019
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Brandon Weckbaugh, MD, an oncology fellow at UMKC is interview on OncLive
The treatment landscape of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to expand with potential biomarkers that are under investigation, as well as novel agents that could potentially target them. What was once a major area of unmet need has experienced an explosion of new research, said Brandon Weckbaugh, MD. Read the interview.
Jan 22, 2019
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Lara Kujtan, assistant professor at the UMKC School of Medicine, discusses its importance
Read the OncLive interview about the importance of patient preferences in the treatment of oncogene-driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Jan 22, 2019
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Johnson County hired UMKC professor Alex Holsinger to develop the system
Alex Holsinger, professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology in the College of Arts and Sciences, analyzed data from 2011 and 2012 to find which characteristics were most related to a failure to appear in court or committing another crime. Read the KCUR article.
Jan 22, 2019
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Laser researcher Charles Cobb, professor emeritus at UMKC School of Dentistry, interviewed
Charles Cobb said based on the size of the spot, it looks like the person was sitting far back in the end zone, possibly in a corner. Watch video on KMBC.
Jan 21, 2019
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Students, faculty, staff and church create 1,000 kits to hand out to adults and children, Fox4KC reports
An urban core church is joining forces with the University of Missouri-Kansas City dental school to promote healthy habits. About a hundred volunteers from St. James United Methodist Church, and UMKC students, faculty and staff believe they can make a difference in helping folks take better care of their teeth. Read more.
Jan 21, 2019
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Expansion included UMKC campus
The first phase of the 54-block smart district project included the installation of new Wi-Fi access points, 600 traffic sensors and extend connectivity for nine-miles along Prospect Avenue. The second phase of the expansion included the UMKC campus. Read the Icons of Infrastructure article.
Jan 21, 2019
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The National Coordinating Center at Stanford University and UMKC will develop a portion of the overall national agenda
BHECN will develop a regional agenda for the four-state partnership. Read the KNEB article.
Jan 21, 2019
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UMKC alum Mary Daly's story is in the Washington Post
Mary Daly believes she wouldn’t be where she is today if it weren’t for Betsy Bane, a mentor who told Daly to get a GED and paid for her first semester at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Read the article, which also ran in the Omaha World-Herald.
Jan 18, 2019
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School of Medicine selects William Arthur Cooper to receive Alumni Award
William Cooper, M.D.
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, UMKC School of Medicine is honoring William Arthur Cooper (M.D. ’92) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
A 30-year U.S. Army Reserve veteran, Cooper is a cardiothoracic surgeon who has performed thousands of life-saving surgeries. As founding director of a nationally recognized heart surgery program, his goal is to teach patients to stay heart healthy.
You devote a lot of time to educating people on heart disease prevention — including writing a book and appearing on the Steve Harvey television show. Why is it important to you to educate others on preventing heart disease?
I am one of eight children in my family and one of three that are still alive today. Everyone else has died, including my mother, of preventable diseases. By writing and speaking, I have the opportunity to inform thousands, not just those who happen to need my surgical skills.
In addition to your M.D. from UMKC, you’ve also earned your MBA and several business certificates. Where does your passion for education stem from?
My father and my curiosity for learning. I reject the notion that doctors should narrow their professional focus on medicine alone. Why not learn and grow as much as you can as long as you can?
How did UMKC prepare you for success?
There is no doubt in my mind that the one thing that UMKC prepared me for more than anything else was bedside manner and how to approach and develop a solid patient-physician relationship — from the clinical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment to the interpersonal relationship and trust development. UMKC more than prepared me to be a doctor from day one of my residency. I still utilize those skills today.
About the UMKC Alumni Awards
Cooper will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 17, 2019
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Breakfast celebrates 50th anniversary of The African American Student Union
How has the African American experience on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus evolved over the past half-century? Come hear three unique perspectives at the 29th annual Freedom Breakfast sponsored by The African American Student Union (TAASU).
The speakers will represent the experiences of three different generations: Margaret A. Evans, Ph.D. (B.A. ’71, MPA ’72), one of the original founders of TAASU; Michael Watson, who attended UMKC in the 2000s and is one of the most stellar student-athletes in the history of university; and the current president of TAASU, Cameron Johnson, a junior majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry. The program will also feature special tributes from UMKC students.
This year’s breakfast celebrates the 50th anniversary of the founding of TAASU. Proceeds support the Herman Johnson Scholarship fund and TAASU leadership programming opportunities.
The TAASU Freedom Breakfast was created not only to commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., but also to promote unity and harmony within our UMKC community. The event highlights UMKC’s institutional values of diversity, inclusiveness and respect.
Event details:
7:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 5 (event was re-scheduled due to inclement weather)
Pierson Auditorium
Tickets are free for UMKC students (pre-registration required) and $65 for others
Tickets and registration are available online.
Jan 17, 2019
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Primary mission: grow grants and discovery at Kansas City’s only public research university
A national search is underway for the University of Missouri-Kansas City Vice Chancellor of Research.
The position is an important one: UMKC is the only public research university in greater Kansas City, and works in partnership with the community to solve its greatest challenges through research-infused learning, service and discovery activities.
“UMKC is developing bold strategies to keep pace with the ever-evolving vanguard of innovative research and the quest for research funding in higher education,” said UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. “The person in this role will lead the way for UMKC to help us accomplish our aggressive research goals in biomedical sciences, technology, social sciences and the humanities.”
In its new strategic plan, UMKC has the goal of increasing annual research grants from $29.2 million in 2018 to $60 million by 2028.
UMKC is uniquely positioned to expand its research capabilities — in health sciences, engineering, the humanities and beyond. The UMKC Health Sciences Campus at Hospital Hill includes schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Health Studies and Pharmacy. The campus is part of the UMKC Health Sciences District featuring a dozen partners including Truman Medical Centers and Children’s Mercy. The UMKC School of Computing and Engineering partners with leading local and regional companies in research including Honeywell and Cerner. UMKC also has significant interdisciplinary research capabilities in national security and data science.
“UMKC is developing bold strategies to keep pace with the ever-evolving vanguard of innovative research and the quest for research funding in higher education,” said UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal. “The person in this role will lead the way for UMKC to help us accomplish our aggressive research goals in biomedical sciences, technology, social sciences and the humanities.”
Agrawal hopes to fill the role by May. Effective Jan. 15, Mark Nichols, Ph.D., will serve in the role on an interim basis. In 2016, Nichols joined UMKC and has served as associate dean for research at the School of Nursing and Health Studies and interim chair of biomedical and health informatics at the School of Medicine.
Jan 16, 2019
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U.S. News & World Report ranks online graduate programs
The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health Studies ranked No. 19 among the nation’s best online graduate nursing programs of 2019 by U.S. News and World Report, giving it at least a Top 25 ranking for the seventh year in a row.
UMKC’s ranking, released today, is the highest of any university in Missouri. Last year, UMKC also ranked high at No. 18. No other program in Missouri or Kansas ranked higher.
“Our faculty, staff and students are to be commended for creating something truly extraordinary: nationally ranked online advanced nursing programs,” said Ann Cary, dean of the school. “This is filling a critical need in workforce education and a critical need in treating patients.”
The UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies is a pioneer in distance-learning programs, offering online advanced degree programs since 2002. The programs offer busy professionals a high-quality but convenient way to further their careers and meet the needs of an evolving health-care system.
“The program allows you to go at your own pace without taking time away from family or work,” Smith said. “It’s not easy by any means – I spend 20 to 30 hours a week working on the degree. But there are great mentors, everyone is positive and encouraging…it’s a community.”
The UMKC online graduate nursing program certainly fills the needs of Brandie Smith, a single mother of three school-age children who works full time as a labor-and-delivery nurse at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. She graduated in 2015 from the UMKC accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program so she knew about the highly-ranked online graduate nursing programs at UMKC. She plans to graduate with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Women’s Health in 2023, with the goal of conducting global research as a nurse practitioner who studies and teaches about treatment of diseases.
“The program allows you to go at your own pace without taking time away from family or work,” Smith said. “It’s not easy by any means – I spend 20 to 30 hours a week working on the degree. But there are great mentors, everyone is positive and encouraging…it’s a community.”
Online students are expected to participate in online discussions as if they are present in the classroom. Technology offers two-way communication in real time via multiple modes. Students also experience on-site learning through summer institutes where they are required to attend clinical training or dissertation work sessions, and deliver presentations to classmates and faculty.
UMKC offers a variety of online graduate nursing tracks, including Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and other options:
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Educator
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Ph.D.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
U.S. News began ranking online education in 2012. The categories include faculty credentials and training; student engagement; admissions selectivity; peer reputation; and student services and technology. U.S. News began their data comparisons with more than 500 institutions that had accredited graduate degree programs in nursing. Among the ones that replied, more than 170 said they offered online graduate nursing programs. The number of online nursing programs is continually growing nationwide.
Jan 15, 2019
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UMKC urban planning professor interviewed
Barranquilla’s strategy of building toward the coast may prove shortsighted, warns Clara Irazábal-Zurita, a professor of urban planning at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Coastal cities are enormously vulnerable because of climate change,” she says. “So how will Barranquilla get the drinking water it needs to support its expanding population and expanding tourism?” Read the OZY Confidential article.
Jan 15, 2019
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School of Education research published
Commissioned by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS), “Fostering Academic and Social Engagement: An Investigation into the Effects of All-Girls Education in the Transition to University” was prepared by principal investigator Tiffani Riggers-Piehl, assistant professor of higher education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in collaboration with HERI. Read the Illinois Patch article.
Jan 14, 2019
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Alum and Olympian in Runner's World magazine
After taking a well-deserved break from the 2017 season, Frerichs was excited to return to training in the fall. She believed she had finally figured out the transition from college athlete—she ran cross country and track for the University of Missouri-Kansas City and then the University of New Mexico until she graduated in 2016—to pro runner. Read the article.
Jan 14, 2019
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School of Pharmacy selects Alan W. Carter to receive Alumni Award
Alan W. Carter, Pharm.D.
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, the UMKC School of Pharmacy is honoring Alan W. Carter (B.S.P. ’79, Pharm.D. ’02) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
With more than 35 years of experience in clinical pharmacy management and research, Alan Carter, pharmacy director at Aetna Better Health of Kansas, has worn many hats including: educator, board member and researcher. He recently gained national attention as his research raised a red flag on problems with the storage of insulin. Carter spoke with us about his study.
You received national attention for your study which discovered decreases in the concentration of insulin. Is there more research being done to ensure that insulin maintains its potency from manufacturer to pharmacy?
The study results were published online in late December 2017 and became an international discussion very quickly after the Associated Press article was released in late January 2018.
A formal confirmatory study comparing approved methods and our different approach was commissioned by the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and initiated at the University of Florida in August 2018, results pending.
Does this raise any concerns about the efficacy of other medicines that could be losing concentration en route to pharmacies?
This could show reason for concern in shipping, handling and storage of any biologic product that needs to have a narrow temperature range for maintaining stability and efficacy. Current FDA stability study guidance may need to be adjusted to better reflect real-world shipping, handling and storage conditions, including in the patient’s home.
What advice do you have for students who’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Learning is a life-long process, and anyone from any walk of life may provide a lesson to be learned. Keep your eyes, ears and mind open for opportunities to explore sources of new knowledge and experience.
About the UMKC Alumni Awards
Carter will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 13, 2019
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School of Nursing and Health Studies selects John Stevens to receive Alumni Award
John Stevens (D.N.P. '12)CEO and Clinical Director,deNovo Health
Each year, the UMKC Alumni Association recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni with an awards celebration. In 2019, the UMKC School of Nursing and Health Studies is honoring John Stevens (D.N.P. ’12) with their Alumni Achievement Award.
From serving as a trauma nurse in the U.S. Army to his current role as CEO and clinical director of deNovo Health, a multi-discipline healthcare practice, John Stevens has held nearly every position in nursing. He recently took a moment to reflect on his career path.
You’ve started several successful businesses. Where does your entrepreneurial spirit stem from?
I am not a nurse that became an entrepreneur, I am an entrepreneur that just happens to be a nurse. I think entrepreneurship was intrinsic to my nature. People often think that a successful business is a straight line from point A to point B but it’s really a constant process of assessment, intervention and response.
Of all your nursing positions, which ones did you love? Which were challenging?
I honestly cannot think of a position or assignment that I did not like but the place where I felt most effective was my years spent in hospice. The dying process can be such a beautiful and peaceful time if all the chess pieces are in the right order.
What are your favorite books?
Getting Real, Ten Truth Skills You Need to Live an Authentic Life by Susan Campbell
Illusions, The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
What advice do you have for students who’d like to follow in your footsteps?
Be ready for school. Be in the right mental place and be prepared to make the sacrifices to accomplish the goal of education.
About the UMKC Alumni Awards
Stevens will be honored at the 2019 UMKC Alumni Awards on March 15. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships. In the last decade, the Alumni Awards events have raised more than $1 million in scholarships and immediate aid for students.
Jan 11, 2019
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Megan Hart was interviewed for an episode of “Impossible Engineering.”
Megan Hart, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in civil and mechanical engineering at UMKC. To view the episode, NYC Mega Build, you must have a cable provider and be able to access that account with your login.
Megan Hart, Ph.D.Photo by Brandon Parigo
"It was such an amazing opportunity to see these massive World War II concrete boats beautifully decaying off the coast of Virginia," Hart said.
The construction techniques used to create the supply flotilla helped revolutionize the industry and are still used today in translatable applications, she said.
"The most exciting aspect was knowing that the process for creating reliable lightweight concrete started here in Kansas City with the Hayde process for lightweight aggregate manufacture," Hart said.
TwoFour Productions contacted Hart via email to interview by Skype. Producers had identified Hart as an expert in applications for concrete from the UMKC website.
"The most exciting aspect was knowing that the process for creating reliable lightweight concrete started here in Kansas City with the Hayde process for lightweight aggregate manufacture," Hart-said.
"We watch 'Impossible Engineering' at home so I was excited to be asked to interview," Hart said. "I flew out to Virginia to film the portions discussing the concrete fleet. A few days later, we filmed the portions in downtown Kansas City adjacent to the old Southwestern Bell building. My role was to supply expertise in the making of lightweight concrete."
Hart is a nationally recognized expert in geo-technical engineering. She joined UMKC faculty in 2014.
Jan 10, 2019
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The top stories of 2018 at UMKC and/or about UMKC students.
The year 2018 brought new leaders, new scholarships and new research — and threw in a few bragging-rights firsts. All together, these 10 stories add up to exciting opportunities in the new year.
Agrawal begins chancellorship
Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D., became UMKC’s new chancellor in June. He is a native of India, a U.S. citizen, a bioengineer, oil painting hobbyist, former auto industry executive, an inventor who holds 29 patents and an entrepreneur whose bioengineering research group has been responsible for starting three companies in San Antonio, where he had served as vice president for research and interim provost at the University of Texas-San Antonio.
School of Computing and Engineering breaks ground on new $32 million research center
UMKC broke ground in September for the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise and Research Center, a new research and laboratory building for the School of Computing and Engineering. The 57,800-square-foot building will provide leading-edge, high-tech research and development capabilities for both the campus and the Kansas City community at large.
Department of Defense awards $14.9 million to develop counter-drone technologies
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Naval Research has awarded a $7.2 million grant and a $7.7 million contract to UMKC to develop technologies to reduce national security threats from small, unmanned aerial vehicles. These are the largest non-health research awards received at UMKC. The four-year grant award will focus on advancing high-power microwave electronic countermeasure technologies.
Brandon Martin named athletic director
Brandon Martin, Ph.D., was announced as UMKC’s new Director of Athletics in November. Martin has athletic leadership experience at two of the nation’s leading Power Five conference programs, Southern California and Oklahoma. He’s committed to solving a puzzle that has eluded predecessors for decades: while the Roos have produced conference champions in competition and excelled in the classroom, the teams’ fan base is fervent but small. They have not yet broken through to ignite a sizable fan base across campus or in the community.
$20 million in new scholarships announced
Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D., announced $20 million in new scholarships November 8 as the capstone to his first State of the University address. Commitment to the success of current and future students is at the core of Agrawal’s vision, and starts with making higher education more affordable to more students within the Kansas City community. The new funding will support 400 additional scholarships over the next nine years, each worth $10,000 per year, for students enrolling at UMKC.
Brookside 51/Whole Foods Market opens
The long-awaited Brookside 51 project at 51st and Oak streets, including a Whole Foods Market and a brand-new Student Services Suite, opened in May. The suite is the new home for Student Counseling Services, Student Disability Services and Student Health and Wellness. The project also includes 170 market-rate apartments and a six-story parking garage with 445 spaces.
Biology student’s project is launched into space
Although 5 miles away from the launch pad, Luan “Kevin” Ngo’s chest rumbled from the thrust power of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April – with his experiment on board. Ngo has been part of the team that is seeing how sperm squirm in weightlessness, using both human and bull sperm. Studying reproductive biology in space is useful because the unique environment of microgravity can reveal processes and connections not visible in gravity on Earth.
UMKC is first U.S. campus to install CityPost kiosks
The eight kiosks — on UMKC’s Volker and Health Sciences campuses — resemble giant smart phones and provide up-to-date information on university services and how to access the best of Kansas City. The digital kiosks are part of a communication network that broadcasts real-time, location-based information and alerts to provide safer, better connected public digital solutions.
Student pharmacist group recognized as chapter of the year
The UMKC chapter of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists was recognized at the annual 2018 meeting with the 2016-2017 Chapter of the Year Award. The UMKC chapter also won this distinction in 2012, and has been in the nation’s Top 10 chapters every year since. The chapter was recognized for its work in providing wellness screenings — such as blood glucose, blood pressure, heartburn and bone mineral density — as well as immunizations, medication counseling and other services to the underserved and underinsured.
Alumna Courtney Frerichs sets American steeplechase record
Former UMKC Track and Field runner Courtney Frerichs (’15) came through with a career-best performance at the Meeting Herculis 2018 in Monaco in July, setting an American 3,000-meter Steeplechase record of 9:00.85. Frerichs, an Olympian in 2016, finished second in the event behind Beatrice Chepkoech from Kenya.
Jan 07, 2019
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UMKC economist interviewed for Vox article
“According to what I’ve seen, that’s unusual,” says Christopher Garmon, an economist at the University of Missouri-Kansas City who studies surprise medical bills. “I’ve heard anecdotes of some hospitals trying a strategy like this but my impression is that it doesn’t last very long.” Read the rest of the article.
Jan 07, 2019
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The Kansas City Star and Fox4KC publish articles about the UMKC men's basketball team returning to Swinney.
A campus setting brings victory, energy to UMKC basketball team
The Kansas City Star The idea of UMKC men’s basketball games returning to Swinney Recreation Center on campus is to fill every one of the 1,500 permanent seats and then have as many standing as the fire code allows. UMKC Roos return to Swinney Recreation Center with Men’s BasketballFox4KC Saturday afternoon was a homecoming for the UMKC Roos. Men’s basketball returned to Swinney Recreation Center on the school’s campus.
Jan 05, 2019
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Sharice Davids received her undergraduate degree from UMKC
After high school, Sharice Davids attended Johnson Community College, Haskell Indian Nations University, the University of Kansas and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Read the article in Native News Online.
Jan 03, 2019
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TV interview with UMKC Innovation Center director and student
“Anything that we do to improve the environment for entrepreneurship and create wonderful new places for people to connect and grow that will help our community drive the talent that we need,” said Maria Meyers, director of the UMKC Innovation Center. UMKC student Salem Habte was also interviewed. Learn more in this KSHB interview.
Jan 02, 2019
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Professor Co-Authors Roads & Bridges Article
In the fall of 2015, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) initiated a study to investigate the effects of joint sawing practices on concrete joint durability. The study, completed by researchers at Marquette University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, included the construction of two concrete pavement test sections and the review of a number of in-service pavements with and without joint distress. John Kevern, UMKC associate professor of engineering, was one of the authors of the article.
Jan 02, 2019
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UMKC law librarian interviewed in ABA Journal article
At this point, only a handful of schools are experimenting with VR and augmented reality technology, and nobody yet knows exactly how it can best be integrated into the curriculum, says Ayyoub Ajmi, digital communications and learning initiatives librarian at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Read more.
Jan 01, 2019
