KU to honor 175 seniors from Wyandotte County high schools

Students from nine Kansas high schools will be honored Tuesday, Nov. 10, by the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment.

A total of 175 seniors from high schools in Wyandotte County will be recognized for their academic achievements and named Kansas Honor Scholars at a 7 p.m. program and reception at Wyandotte High School, 2501 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City.

Since 1971, the Kansas Honors Program has recognized over 125,000 scholars who rank in the top 10 percent of their high school senior classes and are selected regardless of occupational plans or higher education goals. Each year, the KU Alumni Association and its volunteers host 36 programs that reach all 105 counties across the state and include approximately 360 high schools.

During the ceremony, each student will receive a Webster’s New College Dictionary and a commemorative certificate.

Nathan Thomas, vice provost for diversity & equity at the University of Kansas, will speak to the students and their parents and guests.

Community volunteers collect reservations, coordinate details and serve as local contacts for the event. Chris Schneider and Stephanie Parker, of Kansas City, are program coordinators.

The Kansas Honors Program is made possible by KU Endowment and proceeds from the Jayhawk license plate program. The Class of 2016 scholars:

Wyandotte

• Bishop Ward High School
• Erica Baker - Kansas City
• Camille Conner - Lenexa
• Joel Gallegos - Mission
• Rajanee Gardner - Kansas City
• Ashley Krause - Kansas City
• Andrew Mikesic - Kansas City
• Trenton Sadrakula - Kansas City
• Cheynne Silvercloud - Kansas City
• Alexis Wilson - Kansas City

Bonner Springs High School

• Adrienne Alder - Edwardsville
• Gwenyth Barrett - Bonner Springs
• Brandy Brouchard - Edwardsville
• Connor Byers - Bonner Springs
• Tyler Campbell - Bonner Springs
• Annie Carpenter - Bonner Springs
• Katie Carpenter - Bonner Springs
• Robert Crowley II - Edwardsville
• Lucy Florez - Bonner Springs
• Julianne Jackson - Bonner Springs
• Robyn Lewis - Bonner Springs
• Jennifer Maness - Bonner Springs
• Griffin Mareske - Edwardsville
• Devante' McGee - Bonner Springs
• Heidi Rodgers - Edwardsville
• Alexis Schulte - Kansas City
• Alazia Stanley - Edwardsville
• Mikayla Young - Bonner Springs
•  

F.L. Schlagle High School

• Briona Amos  - Kansas City
• Cynthia Botello  - Kansas City
• Thong Cuai  - Kansas City
• Richardo Flores-Delamora - Kansas City
• Tony V Her  - Kansas City
• Jonnie Herr  - Kansas City
• Zing Hlei  - Kansas City
• Tyrone Hooks  - Kansas City
• Tuan Kim  - Kansas City
• Chenew Lee  - Kansas City
• Power Lee  - Kansas City
• Mikayla Murry  - Kansas City
• DeMarquice Phillips  - Kansas City
• Pyu Pyu Pway - Kansas City
• Dominique Reagan  - Kansas City
• Amber Valencia  - Kansas City
• Kathie Vang  - Kansas City
• Kathy Vang  - Kansas City
• Miguel Velasquez-Flores  - Kansas City
• Keturah Weaver  - Kansas City

J.C. Harmon High School

• Karen Amaya - Kansas City
• Esmeralda Amaya-Dominguez - Kansas City
• Melina Ambriz - Kansas City
• Kaylee Arevalo Ortega - Kansas City
• Dessire Balderas - Kansas City
• Claudia Diosdado - Kansas City
• Beh Gaw - Kansas City
• Kenneth Go - Kansas City
• Perla Gomez-Chavez - Kansas City
• Oscar Herrera - Kansas City
• Ramon Jaracuaro - Kansas City
• Abigail Krumvieda - Kansas City
• Mercy Kumah - Kansas City
• Derrick Mahan - Kansas City
• Tylarr Matthews - Kansas City
• Shane McFadden - Kansas City
• Peh Meh - Kansas City
• Nefi Mera - Kansas City
• Kaitlyn Myers - Kansas City
• Caleb Robbins - Kansas City
• Alexandra Ruiz - Kansas City
• Santana Taylor - Kansas City
• Esmeralda Torres - Kansas City
• Austin Tudor - Kansas City

Piper High School

• Collin Beebe - Kansas City
• Morgan DeWitt - Kansas City
• Morgan Fletchall - Kansas City
• Sandra Gosserand - Kansas City
• Kylie Jorgensen - Kansas City
• Lauren Klapper - Kansas City
• Janice Levina - Kansas City
• Tyler Nguyen - Kansas City
• Nathan Orel - Kansas City
• Keegan Sparks - Kansas City
• Logan Wilson - Kansas City
• Samuel Wuellner - Kansas City

Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences

• Saally Campos - Kansas City
• Julian Caudillo - Kansas City
• Lynne Curts - Kansas City
• Jacob Flores - Kansas City
• Jarius Jones - Kansas City
• Carmen Lajam - Kansas City
• Noses Lor - Kansas City
• Ruth Lor - Kansas City
• Leslie Martinez - Kansas City
• Larissa Medina - Kansas City
• Sara Nilges - Kansas City
• Sydnei Patton - Kansas City
• Fabian Requenes - Kansas City
• Raul Saenz - Kansas City
• Cay Thompson - Kansas City
• Alexander Trobough - Kansas City

Turner High School

• Oskar Ayala - Kansas City
• Francisco Cardoza - Kansas City
• Christina Cook - Kansas City
• Dhiya Dalaq - Kansas City
• Lexi Eitel - Kansas City
• Mario Gutierrez - Kansas City
• Adam Hill - Kansas City
• Jenna Kanoy - Kansas City
• Luis Lopez - Kansas City
• Rebecca Lor - Kansas City
• Tucker Marine - Kansas City
• Gustavo Martinez - Kansas City
• Tara Mendenhall - Kansas City
• Rylie Miller - Kansas City
• Luke Moise - Kansas City
• Jesse Patrick - Kansas City
• Dan Quintanilla - Kansas City
• Taylor Rios - Kansas City
• Isiah Rowland - Kansas City
• Ingrid Silva - Kansas City
• Madalyne Taylor - Kansas City
• Nicole Urbaneja - Kansas City
• Christian Yang - Kansas City

Washington High School

• Lizbeth Aguirre Ochoa - Kansas City
• Monica Faye Brooks - Kansas City
• Ahvion Selece Brown - Kansas City
• Imone N. Carter - Kansas City
• Katherine K.C. Castel - Kansas City
• Toyion Denise Crenshaw - Kansas City
• JaMarkus LaMonte Dawn - Shawnee
• Destinee' Gillom - Kansas City
• Alejandra Gomez - Kansas City
• Elizabeth Anne Hartegan - Kansas City
• Andrea E. Johnson - Kansas City
• Angel Johnson - Kansas City
• Samara Lennox - Kansas City
• Veronica J. Nicholos - Kansas City
• Kristen Roberts - Kansas City
• Darion Jamal Stafford - Kansas City
• Brianna D. Turner - Kansas City
• Jaslyn LaShay Turner - Kansas City
• Kierra Wash - Kansas City
• Andrew D. Williams - Kansas City

Wyandotte High School

• Farhiya Abdi - Kansas City
• MiKayla Bradford - Kansas City
• Marcellus Brown - Kansas City
• Carolina Bueno - Kansas City
• Mariha Burton - Kansas City
• Victoria Carroll-Littlejohn - Kansas City
• Edgar Cubillo-Ponce - Kansas City
• Zainab Dafalla - Kansas City
• Katya Diaz - Kansas City
• Ivet Elizalde - Kansas City
• Samueal Gebrezgabher - Kansas City
• Felton Henderson - Kansas City
• Morgan Hollinshed - Kansas City
• Jamail Luster - Kansas City
• Jewelle Martinez - Kansas City
• Isaiah Matthews - Kansas City
• Thang Mawi - Kansas City
• Danielle McDaniel - Kansas City
• Alejandro Mendoza - Kansas City
• Carlos Nunez - Kansas City
• Noe Payan - Kansas City
• Nadia Rodriguez - Kansas City
• Teresa Salinas - Kansas City
• Jenifer Sanchez - Kansas City
• Alejandra Sanchez Aguilar - Kansas City
• Courtney Sauls - Kansas City
• Ruth Smith - Kansas City
• William Smith - Kansas City
• Say Say Than - Kansas City
• Bawi Tlem - Kansas City
• Israel Villalobos-Castillo - Kansas City
• Alexis Yeager - Kansas City
• Mayra Zapata - Kansas City.

University of Kansas announces graduation candidates from Wyandotte County

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The names of nearly 4,550 candidates for degree from the University of Kansas this spring — representing 87 Kansas counties, 46 other states and 43 other countries — have been announced by the University Registrar. Degrees are officially conferred in June.

KU’s 143rd Commencement will be Sunday, May 17. More than 4,000 of the members of the Class of 2015 are expected to participate.

Below are those candidates from Wyandotte County, listed by city.

Wyandotte County students honored by the University of Kansas

KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Several students from Wyandotte County were recently honored by the University of Kansas this week.

The students, from KU’s Lawrence campus and the schools of Health Professions and Nursing in Kansas City, Kansas, represent 72 of 105 Kansas counties, 42 other states and 34 other countries.

The honor roll comprises undergraduates who meet requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and in the schools of Architecture, Design & Planning; Business; Education; Engineering; Health Professions; Journalism; Music; Nursing; Pharmacy; and Social Welfare.

Honor roll criteria vary among the university’s academic units. Some schools honor the top 10 percent of students enrolled, some establish a minimum grade-point average and others raise the minimum GPA for each year students are in school. Students must complete a minimum number of credit hours to be considered for the honor roll.

Local students honored by KU:

University of Kansas announces fall 2014 candidates for degree

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The names of nearly 1,250 candidates for degree from the University of Kansas this fall — representing 57 Kansas counties, 36 other states and 24 other countries — have been announced by the University Registrar.

Because KU conducts only one formal Commencement ceremony each year, many of these graduates will return Sunday, May 17, 2015, for the university¹s 143rd Commencement.

However, some schools and programs conduct fall recognition ceremonies, which can be found here. Diplomas are officially conferred in January 2015.

Below are the degree recipients from Wyandotte County:

New HPV Vaccine Broadens Cancer Protection

University of Kansas Hospital 

KANSAS CITY, KAN.—The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new vaccine that protects against an additional five strains of the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer.

The new version of the vaccine, called Gardasil 9, prevents infection with nine strains of the cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV). Current Gardasil vaccines protect against either two or four of the viruses. It should be available in doctor’s offices in early 2015.

“This new vaccine has the potential to prevent about 90 percent of cervical cancers,” said Kevin Ault, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist at The University of Kansas Hospital. “The original Gardasil protected against strains blamed for 70 percent of U.S. cervical cancers,” he said.

KU Hospital nurses, supporters rally to ‘illuminate’ contract concerns

By MIKE SHERRY, KHI News Service

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Glow-sticks in hand, about 100 University of Kansas Hospital nurses and their supporters rallied Monday night to shed light on a proposed union contract that demonstrators said would jeopardize patient care.

At issue is a management proposal that would cover the approximately 1,400 members of the Kansas University Nurses Association (KUNA).

The proposed three-year contract would eliminate premium pay earned by nurses who agree to work all evening or overnight shifts. Premium pay for weekend shifts would remain, said hospital spokeswoman Jill Chadwick, but the union said the hospital has proposed cutting those back drastically.

“It is important that we show them we are not backing down, we are not forgetting about it,” KUNA President Emily Harvey told the demonstrators, who gathered on a sidewalk across from the hospital at the busy intersection of State Line Road and 39th Street. “The nurses still care about our jobs and the quality of care that we provide.”

Premium pay can range from a few extra dollars per hour above a nurse’s regular rate to as high as $14 more per hour, Harvey said.

Since it’s mostly senior staff that earn premium pay, she said, the elimination could drive away experienced personnel.

Because the hospital seems to be doing well financially, according to what leaders tell staff, Harvey said the nurses believed they would be in line for a raise. “And instead, we got cuts,” she said.

The union membership rejected the proposed contract on Nov. 7.

The two sides held 15 negotiating sessions between July and October, according to a notice of impasse the two sides filed last month with the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board.

Hospital officials expect the employee relations board to appoint a fact-finder soon, Chadwick said. She said the final say on the contract rests with the hospital board.

“We have a fair contract on the table,” Chadwick said. “I don’t be for one second patient care would suffer.”

She noted that under the proposed contract, nurses would still be eligible for another type of pay boost — called “differential pay” — for working evenings and nights.

She said the hospital is proposing salary adjustments across the workforce — both up and down — based upon the latest compensation survey conducted by Kansas City-area hospitals.

Like the rest of the workforce, Chadwick said, the KUNA nurses received a 2 percent raise this year.

According to the hospital, 23 percent of the KUNA nurses would lose less than $100 the first year of the contract while 65.5 percent would see an increase the first year.

The proposed contract, Chadwick said, includes a provision that the two sides would revisit the premium pay reduction after the first year.

But, Harvey said, reopening the contract could subject the nurses to pay cuts.

Chadwick said that, even with the market adjustments, the nursing pay at the hospital would still be “among the highest, if not the highest, in this market.”

Harvey disagreed.

“We have multiple nurses leaving all the time because they are getting paid much higher salaries at other hospitals than they are here at KU,” she said.

Chadwick said the hospital is scouring its budget to find operating efficiencies throughout the organization at a time when patient demand is increasing and revenues are decreasing. She said admissions have more than doubled, to about 31,000 a year, within the past 15 years.

Meanwhile, she said, the hospital estimates it will see a reduction of more than $95 million in Medicare reimbursements over the next five years.

Those are resulting from the Affordable Care Act, she said, based on the assumption that hospitals would be receiving more revenue from an expanded Medicaid program. But Kansas has not expanded Medicaid eligibility.

Chadwick also said the hospital contributes significantly to the University of Kansas Medical Center and last year wrote off about $51 million in care to patients who could not pay.

But, Harvey said, administrators should look elsewhere for savings.

“We are the heart of the hospital,” she said. “We provide the care to patients every day, and I don’t feel this is the rock to be looking under.”

Officials say immigration bill would help KU recruit international grad students, faculty

By MATT ERICKSON, The Lawrence Journal-World

LAWRENCE, Kan. ---- The sweeping immigration bill approved by the U.S. Senate last week might face difficulty in the House of Representatives, but among officials in Kansas University’s International Programs office, it’s being greeted with cheers.

That’s because, alongside a route to citizenship for 11 million unauthorized immigrants and increased border security, the bill also calls for immigration changes that officials say would help KU and other research universities compete for the most talented graduate students and researchers in the world.

“For us to remain viable as a research university, we have to be an international research university,” said Chuck Olcese, KU’s director of international student services. And some of the bill’s provisions would help KU and other American universities keep a global focus, he said.

The bill would give international graduate students in STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — a direct, quick path to permanent U.S. residency via a green card after graduation. And foreigners who get Ph.D.s at American universities in any field would have an easier route to a green card than they have now.

That means KU, and other U.S. universities, might have an easier time recruiting talented graduate students and faculty from other countries.

“It’s a very important thing in being able to hire the best and brightest,” said Keeli Nelson, a senior adviser who helps KU faculty and staff with immigration and visa issues in KU’s International Programs office.