Feature: Two Distinct Career Paths Led Tharman Sisters to KWU

Growing up in the small town of Atchinson, Kansas, Laura and Elizabeth Tharman had defined interests. Laura enjoyed cozying up on the couch with a good mystery novel.

"I found a lot of comfort in books," she recalled. "Slipping inside the world an author has created - usually it was something similar to what I'd enjoy."

Meanwhile, younger sister Elizabeth explored the mysteries outside. She tromped through woods, observing nature and the wildlife within it.

"What I remember most is playing in the creek about a quarter-mile away from the house," Elizabeth said. "And that kind of got me started in science."

Fast forward, and it's no coincidence the siblings work together at KWU. Elizabeth joined the university as an assistant biology professor in the fall of 2022, while Laura started her new role as the director of library services this spring. Given their respective passions for biology and books, their individual career journeys may seem like straight paths, but there were some detours along the way.

After earning her associate degree in Education and a bachelor's in Art History, Laura began her career assisting people with disabilities before transitioning to working at a courthouse in Garden City.

"When I turned 30, I reevaluated things," she said. "I thought back and remembered 18-year-old Laura knew what she wanted to be: She wanted to be a librarian."

Elizabeth carved out her own career path in college, conducting research on the Missouri River's ecosystem through the Army Corps of Engineers. From there, she journeyed to the Amazon River Basin in Peru for more research opportunities.

"I think that really laid the groundwork for a few years later," she stated. "After graduation, I thought to myself, 'What do I want to do with my life?'"

Armed with a bachelor's degree in Biology, Elizabeth made a slight detour, working as an EMT for a few years prior to stepping back into education. She earned her master's in Behavioral Ecology and fell in love with teaching as a graduate assistant. Following graduate school, she went to Garden City Community College, where she taught classes and managed the school's cadaver lab before coming to KWU.

Garden City became a crossroads of sorts for the siblings, as Laura joined her younger sister there. She worked at the courthouse during the day. In the evenings, she pursued her master's degree in Library Science from Emporia State University.

"It was a life-altering period," Laura said of her time at Emporia State. "I thought, 'This is where I'm supposed to be.' I didn't look back. I've never regretted it."

During spring break this past semester, Elizabeth returned to the place where her career started to take shape - the jungles of Peru. This time, she shared the experience with a group of KWU biology students as they embarked on what she hopes will be one of many research trips.

During that week, the students visited a health clinic and gained insight into the area's educational system - all while encountering giant river otters, freshwater dolphins, poison-dart frogs and venomous fer-de-lance snakes.

"Our experience there was fantastic," Elizabeth said. "The guides were amazing. Their ability to spot wildlife in that vegetation is mind-blowing."

Although Laura never explored the Amazon like her sister, she navigated through a jungle of her own as a child. Diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 4, she grew up fast. The seizures became more frequent during her teenage years. She persevered, receiving speaking opportunities and educating others who did not have firsthand experience with the disability.

Laura's condition led to brain surgery at age 15, an operation considered experimental at the time. Despite the successful surgery, she was told the following year she likely wouldn't attend college. She refused to let the door to higher education slam shut. With three degrees now under her belt, she looks back at the impact her disability had - not just on her life, but her younger sister, as well.

"Elizabeth also had to grow up fast," Laura said.

In a family of six children, Laura and Elizabeth were the second and third oldest. As her elder sister's condition worsened, Elizabeth cared for her three younger siblings.

"I think she often found herself having to make decisions faster than a child should have to," Laura noted.

"I remember missing Laura," Elizabeth recalled. "And I remember trying to help raise my younger siblings through that time."

Reminiscing about the challenges her sister faced, Elizabeth pointed to the positives that came out of the situation.

"It made Laura a stronger person," she said. "It made her an advocate for other people and the need for student success tools. I think she still utilizes that in her career today."

Upon earning her master's degree, Laura worked at a public library before taking a job as the librarian at Hesston College. After spending a few years there, Elizabeth told her this past December about the job opening at KWU.

While she wasn't seeking a new role, Laura agreed to meet with the university's provost, Dr. Damon Kraft. The meeting led to a job offer and the opportunity to work alongside her younger sister.

"I enjoy it quite a bit," Laura said of getting to work with Elizabeth. "It's very nice being able to see my best friend."

Laura added, "Elizabeth puts everything into her work. She believes in the value of what she teaches and that every student she works with deserves the best start as they build their lives."

While acknowledging her older sister is her best friend, Elizabeth appreciates seeing Laura inside the halls and walls of KWU.

"It's so easy to have conversations with her," Elizabeth said. "She's just got such a unique way of thinking about the world. I think she sees it in more color than I possibly could."

Two sisters with two different paths. From surviving in the jungles of the Amazon to overcoming the challenges of life, the bond Laura and Elizabeth Tharman share carries on. And the impact they are having on the lives of KWU students is a book still being written.

Story by Eric Brown