2011 KU Women of Distinction calendar honors students, faculty, staff


Fri, 09/23/2011

author

Kathy Rose-Mockry

LAWRENCE — The 2011-12 University of Kansas Women of Distinction calendar is honoring 25 women students, faculty and staff for outstanding achievements.

Two students are recognized for individual achievements, and 14 more are recognized for group accomplishments as student leaders, community organizers, involved engineers and graduate students for social advocacy. Two in the group are recent graduates.

Those featured on the 2011-12 Women of Distinction calendar are listed below.

Julia Barnard, Lawrence, is featured on the calendar in the Committed to Service category. Barnard is a senior studying history. She is the Alternative Breaks co-director since 2011, research assistant for Jonathan Kozol, author of "Savage Inequalities" and National Book Award Winner, and named KU Outstanding Woman Student in a Sorority (Sigma Delta Tau) 2008-2009. She is the daughter of Cheryl Lester and Philip Barnard. Barnard is a graduate of Lawrence High School.

Jillian Proctor Fitzmorris, Parsons, is featured on the calendar in the Graduate Students for Social Advocacy. Fitzmorris received her M.S.W. from the school of social welfare at KU in 2011. She received the University Women's Club Scholarship from 2010-2011, the Person "Touch the World Essay" National Social Work Scholarship and Americorps "Careers for the Common Good Volunteer" at Quail Run Elementary School from 2010-2011. She is the daughter of Rose Proctor. Fitzmorris is a graduate of Parsons Senior High School.

Jennifer Guthrie, Neosho/Joplin, Mo., is featured on the calendar in the Graduate Students for Social Advocacy. Guthrie is a doctoral student and graduate teaching assistant for communications studies. She was a volunteer advocate for the Willow Domestic Violence Center, received the E.C. Buehler Outstanding First-Year Basic Course Instructor from 2008-2009 and a Trustee Scholar at the University of Missouri in Kansas City from 2003-2006. She is the daughter of David and Gwen Guthrie.

Stephanie Jian, Lawrence, is featured on the calendar in the Committed to Service. Jian is a senior studying cognitive psychology. She is the Alternative Breaks co-director since 2011, received the Robert E. Hemenway Public Service Award in 2011 and co-coordinator of the Music Mentors Program from 2010-2011. She is the daughter of Charlene Hu. Jian is a graduate of Lawrence High School.

Libby Johnson, Lawrence, is featured on the calendar in the Leading for Change. Johnson is a senior studying psychology and human biology. She is student body president, organized fundraising projects that raised $5,200 for Court Appointed Special Advocates as Philanthropy Chair of Kappa Alpha Theta in 2010 and coordinator of the Jubilee Caf? Breakfast Kitchen in 2009. She is the daughter of Cary and Jean Johnson. Johnson is a graduate of Lawrence High School.

Lauren Lacey, Troy, Mo., is featured on the calendar in the Individual Shot. Lacey is a senior studying mechanical engineering. She received the Madison and Lila Self Engineering Leadership Fellow since 2008, the team leader of 2012 Jayhawk Motorsports and the 2012 Senior Class President. She is the daughter of Nancy and John Lacey. Lacey is a graduate of Troy (Mo.) Buchanan High School.

Emily Lamb, Lawrence, is featured on the calendar in the Committed to Service. Lamb is a senior studying american studies. She is co-director of the KU Center for Community Outreach for 2010-2012, co-outreach director for "The Big Event" from 2010-2011 and was the Chair for the Miller Scholarship Hall Outreach from 2009-2010. She is the daughter of Brent and Stacey Lamb. Lamb is a graduate of Lawrence High School.

Susana Mariscal, La Paz, Bolivia, is featured on the calendar in the Graduate Students for Social Advocacy. Mariscal is a doctoral student in the school of social welfare. She is also a graduate teaching assistant for the school of social welfare and the Office of Child Welfare and Children's Mental Health. She was a Fulbright Scholar (LASPAU) in Bolivia from 2004-2006, named Outstanding International Woman Student in 2006 and received the Clark Coan International Student Leadership Award, International Student and Scholar Services in 2008.

Amber Jackson, Kansas City, Kan., is featured on the calendar in the Leading for Change. Jackson is a senior studying journalism with an emphasis in strategic communications. She received the American Advertising Federation of Kansas City Scholarship, president of Black Student Union from 2010-2011 and an Alpha Kappa Alpha Membership Chair. She is the daughter of April Jackson and Mack Jackson. Jackson is a graduate of Piper High School in Kansas City.

Sarafina Kankam, Lenexa, is featured on the calendar in the Individual Shot. Kankam is a senior studying human biology. She was a KU Multicultural Math and Science Scholar since 2010, received the Black Faculty and Staff Council Student Achievement Award in April 2011 and the Kansas Health Foundation Undergraduate Fellow in Community Health for 2011-2012. She is the daughter of Martin and Maggie Kankam.

Megan Ketchum, Ottawa, is featured on the calendar in the Involved Engineers. Ketchum is a senior studying chemical engineering. She was the Engineering Expo co-coordinator for 2010-2011, Student Senate Senator for school of engineering for 2009-2011 and received Most Outstanding Sophomore in Chemical Engineering in Spring of 2011. She is the daughter of William and Jan Ketchum. Ketchum is a graduate of Ottawa High School.

Nancy Xiao Liang, Luoyang, Henan, China, is featured on the calendar in the Involved Engineers. Xiao Liang received her bachelor's in chemical engineering from KU in 2011. She received the Outstanding International Woman Student in 2011, was a Chinese translator for Lawrence public schools since 2009, Student Senate International Student Association Senator for 2008-2009 and senator for school of engineering from 2009-2010.

Meredith Pavicic, Leawood, is featured on the calendar in the Leading for Change. Pavicic is a senior studying women, gender and sexuality studies with a public policy minor and pre-medicine concentration. She was president of Commission on the Status of Women in 2011, University Scholar in 2010 and Truman Scholar Nominee in 2011. She is the daughter of Rita and Kevin Pavicic. Pavicic is a graduate of St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City.

Megan Ritter, Overland Park, is featured on the calendar in the Graduate Students for Social Advocacy. Ritter is a senior studying philosophy and international studies. She was the student body vice president for 2010-2011, named KU Outstanding Woman Student in a Sorority (Alpha Chi Omega) in 2011 and named University Scholar for 2009-2010. She is the daughter of Candace Ritter. Ritter is a graduate of Blue Valley High School.

Sarah Shier, Salina, is featured on the calendar in the Committed to Service. Shier is a senior studying political science and history. She was the co-director of Center for Community Outreach for "Into the Streets Week" for 2010-2011, Student Senate Student Rights Committee Chair for 2010-2011, student senator from 2008-2011 and Hall Center for the Humanities Scholar. Shier is a graduate of Salina High School Central.

Cindy Vu, Wichita, is featured on the calendar in the Involved Engineers. Vu is a senior studying chemical engineering. She was a research assistant for the Physical Sciences-Oncology Center at Northwestern University for summer of 2011, co-coordinator of Center for Community Outreach EARTH for 2009-2010 and Watkins-Berger Scholar. She is the daughter of Duyen Pham and John Vu. Vu is a graduate of Kapaun Mount Caramel High School in Wichita.

Five following faculty member selected this year are:

Dr. Lorraine Haricombe is the dean of libraries and Provost's Designate for Open Access Implementation. As a single parent, she raised two accomplished daughters. She earned her master's and doctorate in library and information science from 1986-1992. Dr. Haricombe is in the Individual Shot calendar group.

Yo Jackson is an associate professor in the clinical child psychology program, the department of psychology and the department of applied behavioral science. She received the National Institutes of Health RO1 Grant in 2009, Diplomat in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology in 2008, American Board of Professional Psychology in 2008 and received the Kemper Teaching Award in 2004. Jackson is in the Individual Shot calendar group.

Prof. Alice Lieberman is a professor and BSW program director for the school of social welfare. She is the co-principal investigator for the Generations Project for 2010-2015, the principal investigator for Kansas Workforce Initiative for 2008-2013 and part of the Kansas Safe and Stable Families Project for 2006-2011. Prof. Lieberman is in the Individual Shot calendar group.

Tami Albin is a KU librarian for undergraduate instruction and outreach and women, gender and sexuality studies. She received the Mary McCorison Rosenbloom Teaching Award in 2009, director of "Under the Rainbow: Oral Histories of GLBTIQ People in Kansas" and received the "Outstanding Women's Studies Bibliographer 2002-2006" Award in 2007. Tami Albin is in the Breaking Barriers for LGBT Equity calendar group.

Dr. Lori Messinger is the director for the school of social welfare. She was the associate professor of KU school of social welfare from 2004-2011, worked with Kansas Equality Coalition to establish a domestic partner registry in Lawrence, the founding director of the KU Lambda Council and received the Distinguished Contemporary Contribution to Baccalaureate Social Work Education Award from the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors in 2006. She has a previous degree from University of North Carolina in Wilmington. Dr. Messinger is in the Breaking Barriers for LGBT Equity calendar group.

The following are staff members featured this year:

Mary Burg is an executive assistant to the Chancellor in the Office of the Chancellor. She's worked as an executive assistant to the Chancellor since 1996, was a member of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center Advisory Board since 2004 and a member of Community Cooperation Committee from 2007-2011. Burg is in the Outstanding Administrators Who Make a Difference calendar group.

Deb Teeter is an university director in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. She was awarded Distinguished Membership by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) for significant and substantial contributions to the field in 2006, Outstanding Service Award from the Association of American Universities Data Exchange in 2007 and AIR Outstanding Service Award for service to the organization as president, forum chair and local arrangements chair in 1992. Teeter is in the Outstanding Administrators Who Make a Difference calendar group.

KU alumna Amy Linnen, who will be inducted in the KU Athletics Hall of Fame this fall for her contributions as KU women’s pole vault record holder, is also featured. She is a teacher of physical education and a coach at Mt. Sinai Middle School in Mt. Sinai, N.Y. She was NCAA Collegiate Champion in 2002 and 2005, collegiate record holder in the women's pole vault since 2002 and named KU Female Jayhawk of the Year in 2005. She received her B.G.S. in communication studies at KU in 2007. Linnen is in the Individual Shot calendar group.

All the women have distinguished achievements in their work on campus and in communities locally, regionally and abroad.

Calendars are free, although donations are accepted. They are available at numerous locations, including the KU Bookstores in the Kansas Union in Lawrence and the Edwards Campus in Overland Park. Other Lawrence campus locations include the Student Involvement and Leadership Center in the Kansas Union, on-campus housing facilities and various university departments.

Fri, 09/23/2011

author

Kathy Rose-Mockry

Media Contacts

Kathy Rose-Mockry

Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity

785-864-3552