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IIDA "Take Over Tuesday"

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Kentucky gave all of the Interior Design programs in the state a "Take Over Tuesday" on Instagram.  March 21, 2017 was WKU's turn.  The WKU Interior Design students and faculty did a tremendous job of giving Instagram followers a view into the life of an Interior Design student at WKU.  IIDA gave the WKU group a round of applause for a job well done.

Dietetic Student presents poster at KAND conference

Kelly Burgess, Nutrition major from  Franklin, TN, presented her honor thesis project at the Kentucky Annual Nutrition Conference & Exhibits in Owensboro, KY.  Her poster presentation was entitled: Nutritional and Behavioral Repercussions of Food Insecurity and the Impact of Nutrition Education.  The advisors for Kelly's project were Dr. Karen Mason and Dr. Heather Payne-Emerson.

FACS Students Win Sessions at 47th Annual WKU Student Research Conference

Three students in FACS majors won their sessions at the 47^th Annual WKU Student Research conference, which was held on March 25, 2017, in Downing  Student Union on the campus of WKU. Approximately 400 students from all WKU campuses participated in the 59 sessions, which were organized into performances, posters, presentations, and talks.                        

Laura Allen, a gerontology minor, (Dr. Dana Bradley, mentor)  won Session 11 with her paper entitled, “Intergenerational Living between College Students and Nursing Home Residents in a Global Context.”                        

Jordan McRoberts and Morgan Jent, Interior Design majors, (Sheila Flener, mentor) won Session 53 with their poster entitled, “Colors in the World of Healing.”                        

The WKU Fund sponsored this conference which allowed the students winning their sessions to receive a $50 gift card to the WKU Store.

CHHS Awards Celebration    

The College of Health and Human Services honored outstanding students in the college at a dinner on Saturday, April 8, at the Knicely Center. FACS students honored were:

Kelli Robinson, of Bardstown, KY, Outstanding Child Studies Senior

Marsha Lillpop, of Bowling Green, Ky, Outstanding Early Childhood Education Student

Whitney Tallent, of Anderson Co., Ky., Outstanding Family and Consumer Sciences Education Senior

Taylor Thomason, of Lexington, Ky., Outstanding Family Studies Senior

Carli Barr, of Owensboro, Ky., Outstanding Fashion Merchandising Senior

Hannah Martin, of Walton, Ky., Outstanding Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management Senior

Emily Lepping, of Louisville, Ky., Outstanding Nutrition and Dietetics Senior

Abby Watkins, of Bowling Green, Ky., Academic Excellence in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Kelly Burgess, of Franklin, Tn., Academic Excellence  AND Outstanding Service in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Autumn Turpin, of Portland, Tn., Most Active New Initiate in Phi Upsilon Omicron

Taylor Stewart, of Danville, Ky., Outstanding Leadership in Phi Upsilon Omicron

FACS Education Student Earns Spot on National Leadership Training Team

Taylor Stewart, FACS Education major of Danville, KY, has been accepted for a second year on the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Leadership Training Team.  According to the FCCLA website, outstanding FCCLA  alumni are chosen to develop leadership and officer trainings, lead workshops at state conferences, communicate with national network members and serve as an extension of national staff.  Those serving on the Leadership Training Team must be positive and professional representatives of the national organization and they are afforded opportunities to write articles and activities for use on the FCCLA website and publications.

FACS Dietetics Graduate Earns Prestigious Scholarships

Emily Lepping, Fall, 2016 dietetic graduate from Louisville, KY, received the Lynn Fleming and Iva Alexander Scholarships from the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, which was presented on April 27 at the Kentucky Annual Nutrition Conference & Exhibits in Owensboro, KY.  Emily was a double make in Hospitality Management & Dietetics and Spanish.  She will start her dietetic internship this fall at the University of Houston.

Phi Upsilon Omicron News

Phi Upsilon Omicron (Phi U) held it's Spring Initiation and brunch meeting on Saturday, April 1 at the Eloise B. Houchens Center in Bowling Green.  The Beta Delta Chapter Officers (shown at right)  and Advisor, Cindy Jones, facilitated the initiation of ten FACS majors in to the chapter.  In addition, two FACS graduates were inducted into the alumni chapter of Phi U. 

Also during this April 1 meeting, two 50-year Phi U members (shown at left)were recognized and received framed certificates in recognition of their longevity in this organization.

The Beta Delta collegiate chapter, as part of their professional project, is working to furnish personal care packages through HOTEL, INC. to individuals who do not have permanent housing.  Beta Delta Alumni brought items to contribute in support of the project at the February Founder's Day meeting. 

In addition, the collegiate chapter is involved with "Threads of Hope," a non-profit organization helping to create a better future for families in the Philippines.  Handmade, colorful bracelets woven by citizens in the Philippines are sold by the collegiate chapter and half of the proceeds benefit the Philippine people in their own country.

In other news, at the January 27, 2017 meeting, Alumni President, Cheryl Lacefield and Vice President, Kacy Markham, presented a new Dell computer with the latest software to alumni, Melissa Martin, Executive Director of National Phi Upsilon Omicron.  A new computer was needed at the national office for maintaining and archiving important Phi Upsilon Omicron information.

New Faculty in FACS

Dr. Yuan Fang, Interior Design faculty member, will come to WKU in Fall 2017 from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, where she received her Ph. D. in Environmental Design and Architecture in Spring 2017.  She also has worked as a researcher at Innovative Design, in Raleigh.

Dr. Tannaz Soltani, Visiting Professor in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM), will come to WKU in Fall, 2017 from Oklahoma State University, where she received her Ph. D. in Health, Leisure  & Human Performance with a focus on Leisure Studies/Recreation Management.  As a visiting professor, she will be teaching in the HRTM program for one year.

Dr. Qingfang Song, Child Studies faculty member, came to WKU in Fall 2016 from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where she  received her Ph. D. in Human Development.  Dr. Song has had numerous publications and conference presentations as well.

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