Local Reporting: July 8, 2025 Edition
Park University News Roundup
A flurry of appointments and achievements has been announced at Park University recently. Here are some highlights:
New Coaches for Park Hill High School's Basketball Teams
Xavielle Brown, MBA '20, and Cooper Bayiha, MA '16, have been appointed as the girls and boys basketball head coaches, respectively, at Park Hill (Mo.) High School. The news was reported by the Platte County Citizen on June 11.
Beach Volleyball Duo Recognised as All-Americans
The sophomore pair of Izabella Ceratti and freshman Maria Pim, representing the Parkville Campus women's beach volleyball team, have been named 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA Beach All-Americans.
New Members Join Park University's Board of Trustees
Brian Mertz, Lewis Nerman, Sam Stahnke, and Levi Young, M.D., have been elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of Trustees at Park University, starting from July 1, 2025. Scott Jackman was elected as the new chair of the board, replacing Terry Calaway, Ed.D., who remains on the board as immediate past chair.
President Jackman on KMBC-TV
Scott Jackman, the president of the U.S. division and vice president of sales and marketing for Deveron, an agriculture technology company based in Toronto, Canada, participated in a live, in-studio interview with KMBC-TV on June 26 to discuss the conflict between Iran and Israel and if peace is possible for the region.
New Appointments in Excelsior Springs and Asheville
Mallory Brown, MPA '24, was appointed as the community development director in Excelsior Springs in February. A story about her appointment was featured in the Excelsior Springs Citizen on June 8. Catrina Lloyd, MPA '17, was appointed as the executive director of Asheville Watchdog, a nonprofit news organization. A story about Lloyd appeared in the publication in late May.
Achievements in Music and Sports
Laurel Gagnon, MM '19, was announced as the winner of the Dallas International Violin Competition on June 17. Stories about her victory appeared in various publications throughout Germany. Barry Wilcox, an adjunct instructor of sport and exercise science, won four gold medals during the spring Union Cycliste Internationale Paracycling Road World Cup events in Belgium and Italy. His achievements were featured on the U.S. Paralympics Cycling website on June 9.
David Radzynski, '14, has been appointed as the first coordinated concertmaster of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany, effective Aug. 1.
Academic Achievements and Honours
A total of 75 Park University student-athletes were named to the list of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Scholar-Athletes for spring sports. The Parkville baseball team led all Park squads with 11 individuals earning honours on the list.
Sherry (Faulconer) Bowmar, '05, Bob Kendrick, '85, and Erik Bergrud, MPA '94, were announced as the Wall of Honor Class of 2025 at Park University.
Siabhan May-Washington, '06, Ed.D., president at St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City, Mo., was announced as a member of the Kansas City Business Journal's 2025 class of Women of Influence in late May.
Honouring Veterans
Zonovia Crier, '03, was featured in a story that appeared in the Odessa American on June 24. As part of Women Veterans Day on June 12, Crier was honoured by VFW Post 4372 in Odessa for her military service.
Academic Recognition
Jeff Ehrlich, Ed.D., and Mark Noe, Ph.D., were granted professor emeritus status at Park University.
Political Science Professor in the Spotlight
Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, has been interviewed for several news stories related to current political events. He participated in live interviews with KMBC-TV in Kansas City on June 4, June 16, and June 21, and provided soundbites for stories on KSHB-TV in Kansas City on the same days. He also did a live 12-minute interview with KCTV in Kansas City on June 21 and a 5-minute interview on the "Midday with Jayme and Wier" program on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on June 24, talking about the current situation in Iran.
New Head Coach for Missouri Valley College's Shooting Sports Program
Shawn Dulohery, '88, was appointed as the head coach of the shooting sports program at Missouri Valley College. A story about his appointment appeared on the KMMO-AM/FM website in Marshall, Mo., on June 5. Dulohery was a member of the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympics team in Athens, Greece, where he placed fifth in men's skeet shooting.
Former President's Interview
Shane Smeed, past Park University president, appeared on "Latter-day Profiles," a program featuring in-depth interviews with noteworthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on June 8. The interview, which also aired on BYUtv, was conducted in October 2024, seven months prior to Smeed's departure from Park.
[1] This information was added to clarify the sequence of events. [3] This information was added to clarify the sequence of events.
- In the realm of education and self-development, Park University alum Shawn Dulohery, '88, has taken on a new role as the head coach of the shooting sports program at Missouri Valley College, as reported on KMMO-AM/FM on June 5.
- While general news outlets have covered international conflicts such as the one between Iran and Israel, parks and recreation departments remain a significant part of the news landscape, with Mallory Brown, MPA '24, recently appointed as the community development director in Excelsior Springs, a story about which was featured in the Excelsior Springs Citizen on June 8.
