Linkages Spring 2016

---

Hospitality Management Program Receives Donation

WKU graduate, Joe Micatrotto, Jr., and his family, have made the single largest donation ever received by the Family and Consumer Sciences department.  The Fund for Excellence in Hospitality Management was established in Fall, 2015 by Micatrotto Restaurant Group (MRG) in the amount of $150,000. Joe Micatrotto, Jr. is the only WKU graduate in the family; however, he said, "This was not about putting a name on a wall, this was not about a plaque or a trophy, but having a lasting effect on the school we love."  The Micatrotto gift will not only have  lasting effect on the university, but the future hospitality management program and students, as well. 

Interior Design Program Receives Donation                          

 

Warren Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (WRECC) has made a $5,000 donation to the Interior Design program as a result of the consulting work of Junior ID majors Natalie Beasecker and Kelsey Jones, and Ms. Sheila Flener, ID faculty, completed for them.  The trio produced material boards, finish schedules, lighting and furniture for a remodel of the WRECC office in Bowling Green, Ky.  The remodel, using their student's designs began on March 1, as indicated on this billboard at the site.

 

 

New 2 plus 2 and Articulation Agreements Available

The FACS department has recently signed 2 plus 2 agreements with KCTCS, so students can move easily from an associate of arts degree with KCTCS into a bachelors degree in Child Studies or Family Studies at WKU.  Visit this site to Explore Degree Pathways for these two programs.

The department has also signed an Articulation Agreement with Ivy Tech Community College-Southwest (ITCC SW), so that students graduating with an Environmental Design-Interior Design Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree from ITCC SW may apply those credits toward the Interior Design and Fashion Merchandising major, Interior Design concentration Bachelors degree at WKU.  For more information on this agreement, please contact Travis Wilson, FACS Department Head, at 270-745-4352.

Beta Delta Chapter of Phi Upsilon Omicron Celebrates 50 Years

You are invited to join us on April 29-30 for events to celebrate the 50th year of Beta Delta Chapter.  Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy reminiscing!

FACS Faculty Members Honored

Dr. Maggie Cook-Newell, Nutrition and Dietetic faculty member, was elected in March as the 2016-2017 Chair-Elect of the Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition (LAHIDAN), which is a member-interest group (MIG) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  She will serve for three years, in year two she will be the Chair, and in year three the Past-Chair of this MIG.  She is currently serving a two-year term as Treasurer of LAHIDAN.

Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, Child Studies faculty member, was honored at the 2016 Faculty Awards Reception on April 12, 2016, for receiving the College of Health and Human Services Award for Research/Creativity.  She will compete against the faculty identified from other colleges for the University Award for Research/Creativity and the winner of the University-level award will be announced at the 2016 Spring Commencement ceremony.

Ms. Julie Lee, Hospitality Management  faculty member, was honored at the M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan Convocation Opening Ceremony by M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan and the Department of Housing and Residence Life with the "Class of 2019 Award for Engagement"  This inaugural award recognized one faculty member from each academic college for their commitment to the retention of first-year and transfer students

Dr. Heather Payne-Emerson, Nutrition and Dietetics faculty member, was awarded the Outstanding Dietetic Educator of the Year Award by the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the 2016 Annual Nutrition Conference and Exhibits in March. This award is the highest award given to a dietetic educator in the state of Kentucky. Dr. Payne-Emerson is the DPD director for the WKU Dietetics program. 

FACS Students Awarded Scholarships

Samantha Boles, FACS Education major from Louisville, KY, was awarded the Ginny Ellington/KATFACS Scholarship at the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Educators summer meeting.  This scholarship is to be used by the student during their student teaching semester.

Elizabeth Brand, Nutrition and Dietetic major from Bowling Green, KY, was awarded the Lyn Fleming AND Iva Alexander Scholarships by the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at the 2016 Annual Nutrition Conference and Exhibits.  This outstanding student is also a WKU Spirit Master and a member of Phi Upsilon Omicron National Honor Society, Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and the WKU Honors College.

Alivia Faris, FACS Education major from Ewing, KY, received a Kentucky Extension Internship.  These internships are very competitive and are paid internships.  Alivia will be working in Fleming County, KY.

Taylor Stewart, FACS Education major from Danville, KY, was awarded the Agnes Foster Scholarship at the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Educators summer meeting. She also was awarded the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) National Undergraduate Scholarship, which includes $1,000 to travel to the AAFCS 107th Annual Conference this summer in Bellevue, Washington.  Taylor also has a job with the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America as a member of the Leadership Training Team.

Evelyn Suter, Nutrition and Dietetic major from O'Fallon, MO, was awarded the Progress West Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship by Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Nick Yeast, Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management major from Harrodsburg, KY, was awarded two scholarships by the American Hotel and Lodging Education Foundation.  One scholarship was from American Express and the other was from Hyatt Hotels Fund for Minority Lodging Students.  He was awarded a scholarship from the Bowling Green Lodging Association, as well.

New Faces in Family and Consumer Sciences

FACS has been fortunate to hire four new faculty and staff this 2015-2016 academic year to fill vacancies and to accommodate students' needs more efficiently and effectively. 

Dr. Carrie Cox, Fashion Merchandising faculty member, came to WKU from Murray State University, where she was a Special Projects Coordinator and Lecturer.  Dr. Cox has also held the position of Curator of Education for the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY, and Curator of Collections for the Centralia Historical Society Museum in Centralia, MO.

Ms. Ann Embry, Hospitality Management and Dietetics faculty member, came to WKU from Tristar Greenview Regional Hospital, where she served as the Food and Nutrition Services Director, Director of Volunteers, and H2U program. Ms. Embry is working on her research and dissertation to complete a Ph. D. in Hospitality Management.  Other positions she has held are: President of AEB Foods, Inc., dba Elizabeth Kaiser Fine Candies, Bowling Green, KY,  and Director of Food and Nutrition Services at River Region Health System, Vicksburg, MS.  Of course, Ms. Embry is not a totally new face in the FACS Department, as she has taught part-time for the department for the past ten years.

Dr. Soyeon Kim, Hospitality Management faculty member, came to WKU from The Ohio State University, where she was a Research Associate and Instructor.  Other positions she has held were: Consultant to Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Columbus, OH, Public Relations Team Member for Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), and Assistant Manager of Tourism Promotion Program, Korea Culture and Tourism Policy Institute I(KCTPI) in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Ms. Mandy Skinner, Student Services Coordinator, came to FACS from the CHHS Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), where she was the Coordinator for the ACE lab and an advisor for CHHS exploratory, pre-major, and transfer students.  Ms. Skinner is the first person to serve in the newly-created Student Services Coordinator position and will be advising incoming underclassmen and transfer students for the department, as well as preparing promotional materials, attending student recruitment events, recruiting at high schools in the area and assisting in student retention activities.

FACS Students/Faculty Participate in Student Research Conference

Four FACS students were part of the 370 student participants at the WKU 46th Annual Student Research Conference held on Saturday April 2, 2016, in Downing Student Union. The undergraduate poster sessions presented by the four FACS students and faculty were:

Savannah Bottles/Sheila Flener, Shared Spaces

Larissa Lewis/Sheila Flener, Shared Spaces

Leo Liu/Sheila Flener, Elevation Studio

Niah Soult/Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, Illustrated Storybook Helps Parents Explain Their Multiple Sclerosis To Their Children

Congratulations to Niah Soult (shown in photo right) and Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, whose poster won the Session 9 Undergraduate Poster session. 

FACS Honors Outstanding Students

On April 16, the following students will be honored at the 2016 College of Health and Human Services Awards Banquet at the Knicely Conference Center, in Bowling Green, KY:

Sarah Astor of Hodgenville, KY, Outstanding Nutrition & Dietetics Senior

Savannah Bottles of Newburgh, IN, Academic Excellence in Interior Design

Lizzie Brand of Bowling Green, KY, Outstanding Nutrition & Dietetics Senior and Academic Excellence in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Laura Burchfield of Bowling Green, KY, Outstanding Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management Senior

Kelsey Dudding of Louisville, KY, Outstanding Family and Consumer Sciences Education Student

Sarah Hicks of Bardstown, KY, Outstanding Fashion Merchandising Senior

Megan Holl of Sansea, IL, Outstanding Leadership in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Rachel Jones of Florence, KY, Academic Excellence in Family Studies

Emily Lepping of Louisville, KY, Outstanding Service in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Larissa Lewis of Owensboro, KY, IIDA Academic Excellence in Interior Design

Tawny Nutter of Louisville, KY, Academic Excellence in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Abby Pace of Hopkinsville, KY, Dietetics Undergraduate Research Award and Most Active New Initiate in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Susan Shirley of Bowling Green, KY, Academic Excellence in Child Studies

Niah Soult of Lexington, KY, Outstanding Early Childhood Education Student

Contact the department

If you want more information about any of the above stories, the department, or would like to receive e-mail notification when future newsletters are published,  please contact us at 270-745-4352 or lauri.warden@wku.edu