Pittsburg State University blog

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

It’s no secret that I’m a proud graduate of Pittsburg State University. I love being able to call myself a Gorilla and feel blessed to be able to work at “my” university.

But I have a bit of a secret that I’d like to tell you. I don’t really remember my undergraduate commencement ceremony.

Oh, I graduated (even have the diploma on the wall), but I don’t really remember everything that happened that day.

All I remember is experiencing a wonderful feeling of relief. This was immediately followed by a sense of panic when I thought about getting a “real world” job.

I wish I would have taken just a bit more time to look around on graduation day. It really is a special day, especially for Gorillas.

Pittsburg State University, like every institute of higher education, will celebrate its students' academic achievements this week with commencement ceremonies.

However, if you attend a PSU graduation, you’ll witness something you probably won’t see at other universities.

Our faculty will enter the arena first, but they won’t sit down.

Instead they will line the processional runway and wait for their students to enter the arena.

You’ll see plenty of hand-shakes, high fives and probably a few hugs from faculty as students walk through the line.

After students take their seats, our faculty will sit directly behind them on the main floor. It’s a small gesture, but it reflects the focus we place on our students.

Pittsburg State takes pride in providing its students with personal attention and support throughout their academic career. This is true in the classroom, in the community and, as you’ll witness, during commencement.

So whether you’re in the arena this weekend or watching online, take just a moment to thank the wonderful faculty at Pittsburg State.

They challenged their students, instilled knowledge within them and helped prepare them to make a difference in the world.

Congratulations graduates, and look out world because … “Here come the Gorillas!”

Commencement is a time of celebration at Pittsburg State University.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

One of the great things about living in Kansas is that you actually get to experience each of the four seasons. There’s the invigorating beauty of spring, the hazy warmth of summer, the crisp color of fall and the elegant solitude of winter.

(Sometimes we actually experience all four seasons within a 48-hour period, but, as my parents would say, that’s just the wonder of living in Kansas.)

At Pittsburg State University, we’ve actually added a season to the year.

You won’t find it written on any calendar, but mention it to any student, faculty or staff member and you’ll likely receive a sly smile and a nod of acknowledgement.

We call it banquet season, and it’s one of the best times of the year.

I say this because throughout April and May every college, and many departments, will invite students and their parents to a special reception to celebrate the students’ accomplishments.

Banquet season allows you to see the campus’ outstanding student leaders and faculty members, academic scholars, and leading campus organizations.

It also allows you to understand the difference private support makes in the lives of our students.

Students who achieve academic success are often awarded with scholarships and grants. Nearly all of these scholarships are made possible through the generosity and foresight of our donors.

Our private donors understand the difference Pittsburg State University can make in a student’s life, and in many cases, the difference this university made in their life.

How much of a difference does private support make? In 2012, more than $2.5 million in scholarships were awarded to Pittsburg State students.

In many instances, these scholarships are providing our students with the support they need to continue their education.

Pittsburg State understands the importance of scholarships, which is why it is now in the second year of its “Pathways to PSU” scholarship campaign.

This three-year campaign has a goal of raising $12 million in scholarship endowments to help increase private scholarship funding.

Thus far the response has been encouraging.

I am one of those students who benefited from a scholarship. Today, my wife and I give back to our university to help provide the next generation of Gorillas with the support they need to earn their degree.

It’s a great feeling to know that you are helping, even in a small way, reward a student’s hard work in the classroom.

Learn more about the Pathways to PSU Scholarship campaign.  

Austin Osborn and Jessica Berberich have been named PSU Outstanding Senior Man and Woman for 2013.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

This is one of my favorite times of year for sports. The madness of college basketball has been reduced to the final four teams and the boys of summer are finally underway. (Even though they have to wear long sleeves and put up with 30 degree temperatures)

This year, the big surprise in the NCAA basketball tournament has to be our fellow Kansas university, Wichita State. Their run in the finals has been, well, shocking. (Yes. I’m using the same pun you’ve seen everywhere else. It just fits)

Immediately after their win on Saturday, Pittsburg State took to its Twitter feed and did something some might find surprising. We congratulated Wichita State on their win, and wished them well in the Final Four.

The tweet read simply, “From one Kansas university to another, congrats to Wichita State! Final Four bound!”

Why would we do this for, what some would consider, an in-state collegiate competitor? Was it a strategic marketing decision? Had we conducted an in-depth survey targeting potential students to discover their attitudes towards this type of message?

No. The sentence wasn’t crafted by a group of marketers; it wasn’t placed in front of a focus group or sent out to a test market.

It was … authentic.

If you want to be successful in your social media efforts, you must be authentic.

In this case, we were feeling exactly what most Kansans were at that moment, and we wanted to share it with our followers.

So what results can an authentic message deliver?

In this case, our Facebook posting was “liked” 1,521 times, shared 51 times, commented on 18 times and viewed by 24,696 people. (More than half of whom viewed it virally!)

Our tweet was retweeted 73 times to an estimated 29,000 people and favorited 39 times. It was even retweeted by the Wichita Eagle Beacon.

And it brought us new Facebook “likes” and Twitter followers.  (For context, we currently have 16,219 Facebook “likes” and 4,620 Twitter followers.

Social media can be a tricky thing. Many factors will go into your messaging, but it’s important to remember that when you take all of the technology away, it’s still just a conversation.

And in the end, people want to talk with someone who’s being authentic.

The result of an authentic message is often user interaction.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

My first personal interaction with a professional athlete took place in my hometown of Independence, Kansas.

I was a third grader at Lincoln Elementary School and intently listening to my teacher when this giant of a man walked through the doorway.

Okay … Okay … I wasn’t intently listening to my third grade teacher. I believe I was actually staring out the window and counting the minutes until recess when the giant walked through the doorway. (When you’re a third-grader, recess is everything!)

His name was Scott Hastings and he was the tallest man I had ever seen. (He was only 6-10, but to a third grader he may as well have been Andre the Giant)

Scott was an Independence kid who happened to be one heck of a great basketball player. After playing at the University of Arkansas, he was drafted into the NBA and would eventually play for the New York Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Heat, the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets.

Scott’s mother happened to work for the school district, and she thought it would be nice to have him drop by the class.

I was impressed. Not just with Scott’s height, but the way in which he held himself in the classroom. I remember thinking to myself, “Wow. This guy is from my hometown. He may have been sitting in this classroom a few years ago.”

I don’t really remember what he said that day, but I know that it somehow made me feel special.

Pittsburg elementary students are enjoying this same experience thanks to a new program by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Pittsburg State University.

It’s called “Mathletes,” and it’s the result of nearly a year’s worth of planning by SAAC. (Here’s a great video of the program)

“We got the idea last year,” said Erica Testa, an education major and cross country team member. “I volunteered because of my major. We’ve been meeting with principals, developing lesson plans and having a lot of meetings.”

As you might imagine, the “Mathlete” program combines athletics and math skills. Students are asked math questions and have the opportunity to play with the same Gorilla athletes they see on the playing fields and courts.

“The kids are super excited to see us,” said Testa. “The second time we visited a school I asked them (the students) what we did last time and they said ‘sports and math’ and they weren’t even disappointed. They really liked it.”

Pittsburg State’s “Mathlete” program is a wonderful example of the deep connection Pittsburg State University has with its city. Perhaps best of all, it was created by student-athletes who want to give back to their community.

Conner Combs, PSU student-athlete, works with elementary school children during a recent "Mathletes" session in Pittsburg.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

As I look back upon my time as an undergraduate student at Pittsburg State, I can’t help but have a few regrets.

For example, I regret not paying more attention in astronomy. Because of my lack of effort, I not only hurt my GPA but I also denied myself a better understanding of a pretty amazing field of science. (Although to be fair, it was a late afternoon class.)

I should have taken time to play Frisbee on the Oval. (Part of me still thinks this should be a mandatory activity for undergrads.)

And finally, I really wish I would have taken advantage of spring break to go somewhere … anywhere … and experience something new.

During my time as an undergraduate, spring break was generally viewed as a week-long vacation, preferable spent at the nearest beach or ocean.

Students today, however, are just as likely to use this special time to take part in a service project, internship or study abroad program.

Want an example? Take the story of Matt Deters. Matt is a senior who happens to be a double major in engineering technology.

He is spending his spring break as a quality control manager for Case New Holland in Sorocaba, Brazil.

Now, Matt didn’t just pick up the phone one day and say, “Hey, I want to go to Brazil.”

He worked pretty hard for the opportunity.

“I had an eight-month internship with CNH that ended last year,” said Deters. “Then, in early March, I got a call from them saying that their Brazil plant needed more help with quality control. It sounded like a great opportunity, so I took it.”

Matt isn’t alone in his desire to use Spring Break for more than a week of relaxation.

As I write this, we have faculty in Paraguay, a student group in the UK and countless individual students spending their spring break in locations throughout the world.

These types of experiences are both fun and educational. They broaden your base of knowledge and make you more likely to successfully function in today’s global marketplace.

It’s why Pittsburg State University encourages its students to take part in its Study Abroad program and offers an International Knowledge and Experience certificate.

Both of these programs are becoming more popular with our students. In fact, last year 127 PSU students studied abroad and 23 completed the requirements for an IKE certificate.

Spring Break certainly is changing, and I think it’s for the better.

Pittsburg State University Deans Karl Kunkel (standing) and Paul Grimes (seated) along with Associate Dean Bobby Winters (seated) visit with Pedro Caballero, chairperson philosophia at Universidad Catolica in Asuncion, Paraguay.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication. You can follow him on Twitter at @Grillaguy1.

There comes a time in every teenager’s life when they get “the talk” from their parents. I am, of course, referring to the employment talk.

In my case, it took place in my parents’ living room on a sunny spring afternoon. I was sitting on the floral patterned couch (it was the early 80s) watching television when my dad peered over the afternoon paper and stated rather matter-of-factly, “There sure are a lot of jobs in the paper today.”   

He never said another word, but in that moment I knew that I was headed into the labor pool.

Like most of you, my high school years were filled with a variety of jobs. I installed swimming pools, bagged groceries and even spent a summer as a custodian at KG&E. (Fun fact, I learned to drive a standard on an old utility truck)

As it turns out, a little encouragement and opportunity was all it took to help me successfully enter the workforce.

A similar situation took place this week on campus when Pittsburg State University hosted its Spring Career Fair.

The rescheduled event attracted more than 80 employers, almost all of whom were looking to fill their ranks with highly-skilled Gorillas. Resumes were handed out, business cards exchanged and optimism filled the room.  (Want to see for yourself? Click here)

It was a nice change from recent years when spirits haven’t been quite so high.

Pittsburg State is committed to helping its students be successful in the classroom, on the playing field and in the workplace.

It’s why we have an entire office dedicated to teaching students the skills they need to land a job after graduation.

I’m continually amazed at what the folks in the Office of Career Services are able to do for our students.

They review resumes, teach business etiquette, schedule interviews, post jobs, hold career fairs … the list just goes on and on.

They may not have a floral patterned couch, but they’re still pretty good at helping students build a career.

Joe Stephens, Fastenal, reviews Diana Lu's professional resume. Lu is a senior MBA student from China.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication.

As a freshman in high school I was required to take a general course in what was then known as the industrial arts. The exact details of the course are a little fuzzy, but it basically focused on three major areas: metal shop, wood shop and technical drawing (better known as drafting).

I loved working with my hands so I expected to like metal and wood shop, but I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed drafting.

I was fascinated to learn that not all detailed communication was accomplished solely with the use of words.

We practiced drawing everything from instruction manuals to architectural drawings. I loved sitting in front of my giant drafting table with sharpened pencil in hand and t-square at the ready.

This was in 1985 and even then, technology was changing.

In fact, it was during my college visit to Pittsburg State University in 1986 that I first witnessed the technology that would revolutionize the world of architectural drafting forever -- computer aided drafting (CAD).

Technology never stops evolving and now, 27 years after my first college visit, (I felt a gray hair grow just by writing that line) Pittsburg State is again on the forefront of technical drawing technology.

It’s known as an iPlan table and at 55 inches, it’s really one of the world’s largest touch screen tablets.

PSU is the first university construction management program in the nation to acquire what is quickly becoming an industry standard.

“More and more, construction companies are eliminating the use of paper," Bill Strenth, assistant professor in the School of Construction, said. “Everything is trending toward digital, which is in line with companies trying to go lean and green on projects.”

So why replace ink with electronics? It really comes down to flexibility.

“When they are working on one particular area of the design, they can zoom and focus on that one area,” Strenth said. “They can use the iPlan Table to make any needed changes. They can work with 3-D models, spin them around on the screen and see exactly what it’s supposed to look like.”

(Want to see the iPlan Table in action?)

It’s exciting that Pitt State students are able to use such advanced equipment and not have to wait until they get into the workforce to experience it.

It‘s another reason more and more employers are looking for Gorillas to help fill their workforce.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication.

It recently hit me that 2013 will mark the 20 year anniversary of my graduation from Pittsburg State University. (Wow … My joints ache just reading that sentence!)

I want to bring a little perspective to that thought.

When I walked across the stage with my undergraduate degree in communication, Seinfeld was the most popular program on television, people were flocking to the theaters to see Jurassic Park and listening to Whitney Houston belt out “I will always love you” on the radio. (Now my joints really hurt!)

Time continually moves on, and I was reminded of this through a new Twitter account called “Modern Seinfeld.” (@Seinfeld Today)

I’m not certain who is behind this feed, but it reimagines Seinfeld in today’s world of social media. It really taps into the Seinfeld humor, and highlights how much our world has changed over the past 20 years. (I’ve always thought that the genius behind Seinfeld was that no matter how outlandish the stories you could always, in some small way, relate to them)

But while technology may have changed, the basics of communication have not … it’s still all about content.

In other words, it doesn’t matter how great the presentation is, if you’re not giving people what they want, they’ll go somewhere else.

This is why, at Pittsburg State, we work very hard to engage with our audience … both online and in person.

We want to make certain that we’re providing our students, faculty, alumni, friends and others with the information they want and need.

This personal approach seems to be resonating with our social media audience.

Over the past year Pitt State’s Facebook reach has increased by 143% (we’re now reaching an average of 30,000/week), and our YouTube channel has generated more than 97,000 minutes of viewing time. In just the past six months, PSU’s Twitter feed has experienced a 50% growth in followers.

We’re not quite up to Seinfeld numbers yet, but we’re working on it.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication.

Today is the day nearly 500 Pittsburg State University students have been working toward for many years. It is graduation day.

John Lance Arena has been transformed from an athletic facility into a setting worthy of the academic celebration we call commencement.

I never realized how much work goes on behind the scenes of commencement until I started at Pittsburg State. It was then that I became a member of the commencement task force and joined a team charged with producing an event worthy of our students.

In many ways, it’s like planning a wedding except it happens six times a year. (It’s at this point that my wife will likely remind me that I didn’t have much to do with planning our wedding either … and she’d be right. Thankfully, I married way above my level, so I don’t plan on needing to do it again)

I’ve learned that details are everything. The height of the stage, the color of the backdrop, decorations, programs, seating, lighting, sound … it has to be scrutinized and changed to make certain that tonight’s focus is where it should be … on our students.

Our physical plant staff has spent the past week preparing the arena. Our faculty will be on hand to congratulate their students as they enter the arena. And, our president will be the first to shake their hands once their name is announced. (Want to know what some of our graduates think? Here’s the video)

This is their night. It is their time to shine and that is exactly how it should be.

Congratulations Class of 2012 and look out world because … “Here come the Gorillas!”

Commencement Ceremonies for the College of Education and College of Technology will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Commencement Ceremonies for the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Business will begin at 7:30 p.m.

You can watch the event live at this link.

This blog was written by Chris Kelly, associate vice president for university marketing and communication.

There are few things that bring the holidays home for me quite like hearing the music of my youth. It wasn’t until I moved out of the house that I realized you could decorate a tree without playing Ray Conniff’s “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” album. (If you’d like to hear what it was like in the Kelly house, here’s a link to the best holiday album ever!)

Mom would fire up the record player, Dad and I would  haul in giant bins filled with decorations and before you knew it … holiday cheer filled the air.

It was as close to tradition as anything in the Kelly household, and it still holds a special place in my heart.

Pittsburg State has a similar musical tradition.

Since 1968 the university has annually presented a holiday music performance in Timmons Chapel. The PSU Department of Music will present this year's concerts at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5, and Friday, Dec. 7.

From their inception, the Timmons Chapel Christmas Concerts have been a showcase for Timmons Chapel, a Gothic-style, all-faiths chapel completed in 1966 as a gift to the university from longtime benefactor Beth Spiva Timmons. (Here’s a more in-depth article)

This year’s program will include an assortment of works for small ensembles and a mix of some Christmas and classical items ranging from Corelli to Bach.

In addition to string ensembles and solos, there will be vocal solos, a brass group and … my personal favorite … hand-bells.

For the past 44 years, these concerts have been free to the public and this year is no exception. Word to the wise though … if you plan on attending, you’ll want to get there early. The seating is limited.

If the 70 degree weather has you feeling more like the Grinch than a resident of Whoville, I recommend grabbing a seat at this year’s Timmon’s Chapel Christmas Concert … a good dose of Ray Conniff wouldn’t hurt either!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The 44th Annual Timmons Christmas Concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5 and Friday, Dec. 7.