The Crow's Nest - February 4, 2026

Park University Announces Competitive Academic Scholarship Winners for 2026

Park University has announced the recipients of competitive academic scholarshipsfor the start of the 2026-27 academic year. These scholarships, which totals more than $1.88 million, have been awarded to current high school seniors who are expected to enroll at Park starting with the Fall 2026 semester.

The most prestigious Park University academic scholarship given is the Presidential Honors Scholarship. This award, traditionally given to two incoming freshmen, covers full tuition, fees, and room and board for four years, as well as a $5,000 stipend for a study abroad experience. The award is valued at more than $117,000. The 2026 Presidential Honors Scholarship has been presented to Tessa Stoner (left), Kansas City, Kan. (attends Turner High School), and Danyale Zheng (right), North Platte, Neb. (attends St. Patrick High School). View the entire list of competitive academic scholarship awardees at park.edu/news/competitive-academic-scholarships-2026.

Promotions Announced for Burkhalter and Bower

Park University announces the promotion of Paul Burkhalter (left) to the role of director of campus safety, effective Jan. 18, and the promotion of John Bower (right) to the role of senior director of facilities and operations, effective Dec. 1, 2025.

Burkhalter has been with Park as a campus safety officer since July 2020. Prior to coming to Park, Burkhalter had a 25½-year career with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Bower joined Park University in August 2017 as manager of facilities maintenance and grounds, a role he served in until his recent promotion. Read more about both at park.edu/news/burkhalter-bower-promoted.

Parkville Campus Athletics Hosting 4th Annual Arrr & Arrr Event on Feb. 21

Arrr & Arrr, an event that provides Park University's Parkville (Mo.) Campus athletics departmentan opportunity to showcase its programs and celebrate National Women and Girls in Sport Month, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Breckon Sports Center on the University's flagship Parkville Campus. The 4th annual event, which celebrates Park athletics, its student-athletes and the impact of sport within the community, is being held in conjunction with the Pirates women'sand men's basketballgames against Missouri Baptist University (women's game at 3 p.m. / men's game at 5 p.m.), with a special reception held at halftime of the women's game (approximately 3:30 -3:45 p.m.).

Patrycia Kozak, senior sport and exercise sciencemajor who earned first team Heart of America Athletic Conference women's soccerhonors in the fall, Emma Perry, who graduated in December 2025 with a Bachelor of Nursing degree, was a member of the women's basketball program and was a participant in the American Red Cross Collegiate Leadership Program in summer 2024, and Krishna Lee, general manager of the Kansas City Glory women's football team and 2022 captain of the U.S. Women's Tackle Football Team, will be recognized and speak during the reception. For more information, including registration for the event, visit parkathletics.com/news/2026/2/3/2026Arr_Arrr.aspx.

Park ICM Orchestra to Perform Annual Valentine's Concert on Feb. 6

The Park University International Center for MusicOrchestra will highlight the many moods of dance music with its annual Valentine's concert on Friday, Feb. 6, starting at 7:30 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University's flagship Parkville Campus. The concert will feature Filippo Ciabattias the guest conductor. Praised for his "sensitive and nuanced" musicianship and for delivering performances "with admirable sweep and tension," Ciabatti is a dynamic and versatile conductor with a multifaceted career. Admission to the concert is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP in advance to guarantee seating. For more information about Ciabatti and the concert, visit park.edu/news/icm-orchestra-valentines-concert-2026.

Park in the News

Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, participated in a taped extended interview on KMBZ-FM on Jan. 7 to discuss the Missouri legislature's special session.

Harris was interviewed for a stories that aired on KCTV in Kansas City on Jan. 11and KSHB-TV in Kansas City on Jan. 12related to a proposed ordinance in Jackson County, Mo., that would ban law enforcement officers from wearing masks and hiding their identities while on duty.

Also on Jan. 11, Harris was interviewed for a story that aired on KSHB-TVin Kansas City related to area Iranian Americans holding a rally in solidarity with protesters in Iran.

Harris participated in a live interview on the "Midday with Jayme and Wier" program on KMBZ-FMin Kansas City on Jan. 14 to talk about a possible U.S. military strike against Iran.

Harris was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBZ-FM in Kansas City on Jan. 15 related to the Missouri state budget and Gov. Mike Kehoe's proposed tax agenda.

On Jan. 16, Harris was interviewed by KSHB-TV in Kansas Cityand the Kansas City Starfor stories asking if Kansas City officials could block a federal immigration detention center inside the city limits. On Jan. 19, Harris was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBC-TVand KMBZ-FM in Kansas City as the Kansas City, Mo., City Council passed a moratorium blocking detention facilities not owned or operated by the city.

Harris provided comments for a story that was published in the Kansas City Star on Jan. 26related to how Republicans in Kansas and Missouri are framing gun rights in the wake of the Alex Pretti shooting.

Terry Lovelace, '79, was interviewed on "A Different Perspective with Kevin Randle" on Jan. 6related to an extraterrestrial experience he claims to have encountered in 1977.

Shawn Gorrell, '95, MBA '18, MA '24, authored an article that was posted on the Medium website on Jan. 11about why he chose to earn a Master of Arts degree in industrial and organizational psychology.

Melissa Ferrer Civil, ME '20, who was appointed as the first poet laureate in Kansas City, Mo., in February 2024, was featured on the Spirituality Adventures podcast on Jan. 14.

Violinist Ben Sayevich and pianist Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, Park University International Center for Music, appeared live on Kansas Public Radio's "Classical Music in the Morning" program on Jan. 20in advance of their concert on Jan. 23.

Crystal Ellison, '12, was featured in the Kansas City Star on Jan. 24. Ellison, a senior litigation attorney with Allstate insurance and a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, as well as founder/chief executive officer of Serenity Infinity Books, authored, Aubri's Story: Rising Above Bullying, a children's book aimed at helping young readers build resilience, self-worth and empathy. According to the article, Ellison wrote the book inspired by her daughter's journey and her own childhood. When Ellison was young, bullying was often dismissed as a childhood rite of passage. Later in life, she watched her daughter face similar insults and emotional harm, underscoring how little had changed in the way bullying is addressed in schools and communities.

Jeanette Prenger, '09 (and former Park University Board of Trusteeschair), and ECCO Select, the company Prenger founded and serves as chief executive officer, was recognized by Ingram's (a Kansas City business magazine) as a 2025 Corporate Championin the publication's December 2025 edition. Prenger also participated in an Ingram's philanthropy industry outlook featurethat appeared in the same edition.

The Kansas City Business Journal, on Jan. 23, ranked Park University No. 5 on its list of the region's largest colleges and universities, ranked by Fall 2025 enrollment, and No. 5 on its list of Master of Business Administration degree programs in the region, ranked by Fall 2025 MBA enrollment.

Upcoming Events

(All events are Central time and on the flagship Parkville [Mo.] Campus unless noted)
• Through Feb. 13 - Interior Design Student Exhibit, Campanella Gallery (Norrington Center)
• February 6 - International Center for Music Concert: ICM Orchestra with Guest Conductor Filippo Ciabatti, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• February 16 - President's Day Holiday (all Park University offices nationwide closed; Parkville [Mo.] and Gilbert [Ariz.] campuses daytime classes cancelled; Spring I term classes held as scheduled)
• February 21 - Arrr & Arrr, 3 p.m., Breckon Sports Center
• March 8 - Spring I Term Ends
• March 9-15 - Spring Recess
• March 16 - Spring II Term Classes Begin
• April 15 - Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards, 6 p.m. David Theater (Alumni Hall)
• April 17 - International Center for Music Concert: ICM Orchestra with Guest Conductor Jason Seber, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• April 22 - Honors Convocation 6 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• April 24 - International Center for Music Concert: Ben Sayevich Violin Studio Students / Daniel Veis Cello Studio Students / Chung-Hoon Peter Chun Viola Studio Students, 7:30 p.m., 1900 Building, Mission Woods, Kan.

To view a comprehensive schedule for all events, including athletics and student life, visit park.edu/calendars/park-events-calendar.