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Political Science

In Memoriam of Joseph Unekis

The Department of Political Science is very saddened to share that our colleague and friend, Emeritus Associate Professor Joeseph K. Unekis, passed away on May 26, 2019.

Joe received his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1977 and accepted a position here in the Department of Political Science at Kansas State University. He was a member of the department until his retirement in 2012. His research and teaching focused on American government and more specifically, the U.S. Congress. During his 34-year tenure in the department he educated thousands of students. His contributions to teaching were recognized in 1989 when he was awarded the College of Arts & Sciences William L. Stamey Teaching Award. His research was published in some of the top journals in the discipline.

Joe will be remembered as a fantastic colleague to his peers and a dedicated teacher.

 

4 thoughts on “In Memoriam of Joseph Unekis
  1. Big improvement with pictures. Wish we had been bright enough to do that. Good to know where Ph.D. grads go. What about MA – that might be of interest in recruiting.

  2. I agree. Very sad to hear about Prof Unekis. Makes me wonder about Prof Herspring as well. They, and their peers, were instrumental in teaching me so very much. Pickering and Fliter are the last of my torch bearers in the dept. With much admiration and respect to them all. -Bill Mahan BS ’03 and MA ’04

  3. Dr. Unekis was the reason I graduated from K-State with a Political Science degree. I took his U.S. Politics class as a freshman elective, and promptly changed my major from Animal Science to PoliSci. I took several other classes under Dr. U, and I savored every one. Not only was he my academic advisor, he provided me wise counsel as I prepared for a military career through KSU AFROTC. An Air National Guard officer himself, Lt Col Unekis gave me advice on leadership and officership that served me well throughout my career and still guides me to this day. Rest Easy, Sir — you changed countless lives in your time at K-State. Especially mine. – Catherine Barnes Porterfield, KSU 1991

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