Kansas State University

search

LINK magazine

Author: rvail

Alumni Fellow Assesses Agribusiness Needs in Asia

Cristina Mansfield ’04 (center left) surrounded by children while working in Yemen.

Kansas State University reaches far across the globe — from its campuses all the way to Cambodia.

Cristina Mansfield ‘04 had already completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree but had unanswered questions for her career in international development. Among her many global experiences, she worked on democracy and governance issues in Cambodia and became interested in where the country should be investing their money, particularly in agriculture.

Mansfield found her answers through K-State’s Master of Agribusiness (MAB) program, which she completed from Cambodia, along with students in several other countries.

Continue reading “Alumni Fellow Assesses Agribusiness Needs in Asia”

Program Spotlight: Nonviolence Studies

Natalie Byington ’13 studies nonviolence techniques for both home and the workplace.

Knowing how to prevent and respond to violence is useful in every aspect of life, from the workplace and community to personal situations.

Kansas State University’s 15-credit undergraduate certificate in nonviolence studies teaches strategies, tactics and tools to help resolve problems without violence.

The program focuses on getting ahead of violence by exploring the conditions that lead up to potentially violent situations and identifying ways people can help change those conditions on both a local and global level.

Natalie Byington ’13 completed the online certificate program and serves as a manager, educating her employees in nonviolence techniques. She says that as a society, we learn that conflict is bad, but the program has taught her that constructive conflict can change the world for the better.

Continue reading “Program Spotlight: Nonviolence Studies”

New Scholarships Launching this Fall

Thanks to new partnerships between Kansas State University Global Campus and various colleges and departments, seven new scholarships are available starting this fall for degree-seeking students in the following online program areas:

“We are very appreciative that these colleges have joined us in this partnership to provide much needed scholarship support for distance students. This greatly expands the number and amount of available scholarship opportunities and will contribute significantly to student retention and success,” said Dave Stewart, associate dean of K-State Global Campus.

Additionally, the K-State Global Campus Scholarship for Distance Education Students was offered during summer semester for the first time.

How You Can Help
Contribute to a new scholarship fund or find out more ways to give by contacting Tracy Robinson at 785-532-7568 or tracyr@found.ksu.edu.

Announcements

Five new programs launch through K-State Global Campus

  • Nutrition and Health Bachelor’s
  • Financial Therapy Graduate Certificate
  • Teaching English as a Second Language for Adult Learners Graduate Certificate
  • Primary Texts Undergraduate Certificate
  • Community-Engaged Leadership Undergraduate Certificate
_______________________________
Online graduate degrees can bring position, salary increase
Although higher education can be a hefty financial investment, the payoff of completing an online graduate program such as a master’s degree or graduate certificate can have positive economic and career results.

A national survey through Online College Students 2013: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences* shows that 58 percent of respondents who had completed an online graduate degree received a pay increase. Forty-seven percent of individuals who earned an online graduate degree reported that they received a job promotion.

Out of all respondents of the survey who completed either undergraduate or graduate programs, a total of 44 percent said they improved their employment standing by obtaining a first job, full-time job or new job after completing their online degree.

K-State Global Campus programs include 27 master’s degrees, a doctoral program and 21 graduate certificates online.

*Data from Learning House and Aslanian Market Research, EducationDynamics.

 

Awards and Honors

Michael Feingold, food science ’13 and current food science master’s student (center, with K-State Global Campus staff), received the 2014 Outstanding Continuing Education Student Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association and a standing ovation during his acceptance speech. He also was featured on the cover of G.I. Jobs magazine.

Deanna Retzlaff (left), assistant professor and advisor for online food science and animal science bachelor’s programs, received the 2014 K-State Global Campus Outstanding Advisor award.

Karolyn Barclay (right), early childhood education ’14, received the 2014 K-State Global Campus Extraordinary Student Award. Read her success story.

More than 240 distance students graduated in spring 2014. View a list of graduates and a video commencement program on the K-State Global Campus Virtual Commencement website.

Distance Student Conducts Research in Financial Planning Field

Sarah Asebedo, Edina, Minn., a doctoral student in personal financial planning

Where there’s money, there are often
disagreements.

Sarah Asebedo, Edina, Minn., a student
in Kansas State University’s online personal
financial planning Ph.D. program, wanted
to examine the role of conflict resolution
techniques in the financial planning field.

As a financial planner with Accredited
Investors, Inc. for nearly a decade, Asebedo
advises clients through all aspects of their
financial life, including career changes and
retirement transitions. Major life transitions
and money decisions typically cause
disagreements between couples to surface
throughout the financial planning process.
Asebedo has found that she can utilize conflict resolution techniques as a third party to help couples see eye to eye and move forward.

Continue reading “Distance Student Conducts Research in Financial Planning Field”

Program Spotlight: Conflict Resolution

Debra Roby (left), Orlando, Fla., conflict resolution student

Few individuals purposely place themselves in conflict, but having the skills to resolve disputes and negotiations can come in handy in nearly every profession.

K-State’s online program in conflict resolution is offered as both a graduate or undergraduate certificate. For Debra Roby, a court-appointed mediator from Orlando, Fla., the graduate certificate was just what she needed to transition into mediation from her background in commercial insurance.

Continue reading “Program Spotlight: Conflict Resolution”

Scholarship Impact

For many distance students, scholarships are what make their education at K-State possible.

A few students who received fall 2013 scholarships shared the impact of these funds on their education through K-State, including:

  • Kathleen O’Leary, Hamilton, Mont., first recipient of the Allan D. Sicat Scholarship
  • Justin Grady, Sellersville, Penn., Division of Continuing Education Scholarship for Distance Students
  • Brantley Blair, Philomath, Ore., Maurine Allison O’Bannon Memorial Scholarship

The division awarded more than $26,000 in scholarships to degree-seeking distance students for the fall 2013 semester.

See what students are saying and how you can contribute to their academic success at K-State.

Continue reading “Scholarship Impact”

Awards and Honors

Justin Kastner, online instructor and associate professor of diagnostic medicine/pathobiology, received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, Central Region.

 

Kristine Smith, dietetics ’04, was featured in First Lady Michelle Obama’s blog, “Let’s Move,” for her work at the Neighborhood House Association Head Start in San Diego, Calif.

 

Chwen Sheu (left), online instructor for MANGT 421, won the Best Paper Award, International Conference on Operations and Supply Chain Management, Shanghai, China.

Fred Smith (right), online instructor for ACCTG 231 and 241, was recognized as an outstanding faculty member by the Kansas State Chapter of Mortar Board Senior Society.