"Crow's Nest Daily Report - 8th of July, 2025"
Park University, located in Parkville, Missouri, has been abuzz with a series of notable appointments, achievements, and interviews this month. Here's a roundup of some of the most significant developments.
New Leadership at Park University
The Board of Trustees at Park University has elected Scott Jackman as its new chair for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Jackman, who is the president of the U.S. division and vice president of sales and marketing for Deveron, an agriculture technology company based in Toronto, Canada, will assume his role on July 1, 2025. Brian Mertz, Lewis Nerman, Sam Stahnke, and Levi Young, M.D., have also been elected to serve three-year terms on the Board of Trustees, effective on the same date. Sarah Moe has been elected as board secretary, and Jeff Anthony as the board treasurer. Mara Cohara, J.D., has been elected as vice chair.
Athletic Achievements
In the world of sports, Xavielle Brown, '16, MBA '20, and Cooper Bayiha, '12, MA '16, have been appointed as the girls and boys basketball head coaches, respectively, at Park Hill (Mo.) High School. The 1s pair of sophomore Izabella Ceratti and freshman Maria Pim, Parkville Campus women's beach volleyball, were named 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association NAIA Beach All-Americans. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association has tabbed Parkville Campus softball freshman P Hanna Vaught, senior 2B Shelby Sanders, and senior SS Halle Magee to its NAIA Region V second team.
Academic Accomplishments
The academic realm has also seen its fair share of success. Matt Harris, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, has been interviewed for numerous stories this month, discussing topics ranging from Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley's political identity to the current situation in Iran. On June 21, he was interviewed for stories that aired on KMBC-TV following the U.S. air strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran. Jack MacLennan, Ph.D., senior director for strategic initiatives and communications, and special assistant to the president for governance (also holds the title of associate professor of political science), 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.
Laurel Gagnon, '17, MM '19, was announced as the winner of the Dallas International Violin Competition on June 17. Mallory Brown, '24 MPA, was featured in the Excelsior (Springs, Mo.) Citizen on June 8 for being appointed as the community development director in Excelsior Springs. Catrina Lloyd, '13, MPA '17, was appointed as the executive director of Asheville (N.C.) Watchdog, a nonprofit news organization.
Honours and Recognitions
Several Park University alumni have been honoured for their achievements. Zonovia Crier, '03, was featured in a story that appeared in the Odessa (Texas) American on June 24 for being honoured by VFW Post 4372 in Odessa for her military service on Women Veterans Day on June 12. 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. Benny Lee, a member of Park University's Board of Trustees, was featured in the Kansas City Star on May 31 as part of a series of stories highlighting members of the Kansas City region from historically underrepresented communities and their impact on the area.
Sports and Leadership Insights
Kristin Gillette, Park University Parkville (Mo.) Campus director of athletics, appeared on the Playing with a Purpose podcast on June 20 discussing what it means to be a positive influencer in the world of sports, on and off the field. 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.
Notable Mentions
A story about Xavielle Brown, '16, MBA '20, and Cooper Bayiha, '12, MA '16, being appointed as the girls and boys basketball head coaches, respectively, at Park Hill (Mo.) High School, appeared in the Platte County (Mo.) Citizen on June 11. Barry Wilcox, adjunct instructor of sport and exercise science, was featured in a story that appeared on the U.S. Paralympics Cycling website on June 9 for winning four gold medals during the spring Union Cycliste Internationale Paracycling Road World Cup events in Belgium and Italy. A 5-minute story related to 12 Native Americans from Oklahoma being eligible for the Valor Medals Review Project being conducted by Park University's George S. Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War aired on KQCW-TV in Tulsa, Okla., on June 23.
Scholar-Athletes Recognition
A total of 75 Park University student-athletes were named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' 2025 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes list, with the Parkville baseball team leading all Park squads with 11 individuals earning honors.
Recognition for Service
Sherry (Faulconer) Bowmar, '05, Bob Kendrick, '85, and Erik Bergrud, MPA '94 have been announced as the Wall of Honor Class of 2025 at Park University's Parkville (Mo.) Campus Department of Athletics. David Radzynski, '14, has been appointed as the first coordinated concertmaster of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, Germany, effective Aug. 1. Jeff Ehrlich, Ed.D., and Mark Noe, Ph.D., have been granted professor emeritus status by the Board of Trustees at Park University.
[1] Park University Newsroom [2] Park University Newsroom [3] Park University Newsroom [4] Park University Newsroom [5] Park University Newsroom [6] Park University Newsroom [7] Park University Newsroom
- The university's latest appointments in education-and-self-development and strategic initiatives sectors are making headlines, with new additions to the Board of Trustees and leadership changes announced this month. (general-news)
- Park University athletes and alumni are making waves in sports, with achievements in basketball, beach volleyball, and softball, as well as recognition in academic and leadership sectors. (sports)
