2018 K-State Global Campus Honors and Award Recipients 

Huston Gibson

Gibson won the Excellence in Teaching award for his work with K-State’s online community development program, which offers both a graduate certificate and master’s degree. The program is a part of the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA), a consortium of Midwest universities, and Gibson directs K-State’s program in addition to his work as associate professor within the College of Architecture, Planning & Design’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional & Community Planning.

Sarah Reasoner

Reasoner won the Outstanding Support Specialist Award for her role as a creator and facilitator of online courses within the College of Agriculture. She also advises nondegree students within the college and is a valuable resource for students within the college as the in-house expert at navigating the typical issues students face when studying online.

Jessyca Waddell

Waddell, an online graduate student pursuing a youth development master’s degree, received the Extraordinary Student Award. This award is given to a currently enrolled distance student who has overcome obstacles in their educational path and demonstrates academic excellence, focus and career ambition.

Waddell’s academic journey has at times taken a backseat to a host of medical challenges. She has been diagnosed with a chronic degenerative spinal condition, Addison’s disease and a pituitary brain tumor, among others, and has undergone 11 spinal surgeries. Because of her limitations, Waddell was forced to reconsider her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

“My passion for science and medicine, along with my own medical struggles, led me to my current career aspiration: to become a physician assistant with a focus on adolescent medicine,” Waddell said.

Waddell plans to continue her education after finishing her master’s degree at K-State in support of her dreams.

Sarah Riforgiate

Riforgiate, an associate professor of communication studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, received the Excellence in Online Teaching Award. The award recognizes an online instructor or faculty member who has provided outstanding online teaching, course development, mentoring of students and service to the field of continuing education.

Riforgiate was nominated by former students who noted her attention to detail, interactive and thought-provoking teaching style and strong communication skills, all of which are key to successful teaching online.

Suzy Auten

Auten, director of the online professional MBA through the College of Business, received the Outstanding Advisor Award, given to a K-State faculty or staff member demonstrating exceptional efforts in assisting and advising distance students.

As director, Auten takes on a number of different roles relating to the PMBA program, but it’s her personal touch as an advisor to distance students noted by those who nominated her for the Outstanding Advisor Award. Several nominations spoke to Auten’s willingness to familiarize herself with the interests and needs of each individual student.

Art Rathbun

Rathbun supports Global Campus by continuing to teach a stress management course years after his retirement from a full-time career with K-State Counseling Services. To date, Rathbun has taught 704 students in 41 sections, most of which were online.

Robert Stokes

Stokes, professor of civil engineering and civil engineering department head, has benefited Global Campus and its constituents by encouraging faculty to teach online courses and to host conferences, workshops and seminars through Global Campus.

Kristen Egger

Egger, a student employee in the Global Campus conferences and noncredit programs office, received the Star Student Award, which recognizes a student employee who consistently goes above and beyond the requirements of their position to make meaningful and positive contributions to Global Campus.

Egger is a senior in mass communications who plans to pursue a law degree. In her time with Global Campus, Egger was extremely dependable, able to work independently and a creative problem-solver.

Marci Ritter

Ritter, executive assistant to the dean of Global Campus, received the Lynda Spire Positive Focus Award. This award honors the positive leadership of Lynda Spire, retired assistant dean of K-State Global Campus.

In addition to providing administrative assistance to the dean, Ritter leads the dean’s office staff and coordinates many Global Campus activities, including annual goals, special projects, evaluations and personnel issues. Ritter, a self-described believer in the power of positivity, was nominated for this award based on her constant professionalism and positivity in the workplace.

Kansas State University Global Campus has been listed in the Military Advanced Guide to Top Colleges and Universities for 2018. The survey looks at military culture, financial assistance, flexibility, general support, online support and on-campus support for military and veteran students.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS)

The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) has partnered with Kansas State University to offer a noncredit professional development program to support international growth in the grain industry. GEAPS is an international professional society dedicated to providing its members with forums to generate leadership, innovation and excellence in grain-related industry operations. It serves as a resource for the grain handling industry operations.

Always On, Always There Commercial

Produced in partnership between Global Campus and K-State’s Division of Communications and Marketing, the Always On, Always There TV commercial aired locally in Kansas markets as well as regionally and nationally through a partnership with K-State Athletics

Kansas State University Global Campus

Kansas State University Global Campus has received a Military Friendly designation for 2018 from Victory Media. Obtaining a Military Friendly Schools designation is assessed through the evaluation of both public data about the institution and proprietary data gathered through the free Military Friendly Schools survey. K-State has received this designation since it began in 2003.