Meet some outstanding students and alumni!


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Davis Administration Building in the Summer

A Message From the Director of Alumni Relations

HELLO FALCONS!

The rallied plea for a walk out, a Symphony of Spring curtain call, a thrilling championship game, a flurry of caps and gowns – these are the end-of-year-snapshots that make this season so special. While semester’s end stirs mixed emotions, we’re eager to send our graduates out into the world to be industry trailblazers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit workers and church leaders.

But before they turn the page on this new chapter of life, my hope is that these graduates will take a moment to pause and reflect with pride on their achievements. My prayer is that they take their next bold steps with anticipation, eager to uncover more of their God-given purpose and vocation.

Join me in celebrating our 2023-2024 graduates and welcoming them to the Falcon family!

Jessica Boone, MBA ('14/'22)

Director of Alumni Relations

Honoring Outstanding Junior Man and Woman with W.O. Mendenhall Scholarship

Each year we honor the many achievements and gifts of our dedicated students, including the recipients of the W.O. Mendenhall Scholarship for Outstanding Junior Man and Woman. Named after Friends University’s second president, William O. Mendenhall (1918-1934) this $500 scholarship is awarded to two outstanding juniors who exemplify involvement in the areas of education and community, religious outlook and future ambitions.

Recipient Gabriel Hamel is an accounting major, involved in various music ensembles as both a vocalist and instrumentalist. Next year, he will assume the role of Student Council President and Writing Editor of the Talisman. He is involved with the choir at St. Geroge Cathedral and is a member of the WSU Orthodox Christian Fellowship and the Brotherhood of St. Raphael of Brooklyn.

Recipient Jesse Hancock is pursuing a degree in Graphic Design and Marketing and is a member of Business Professionals of America. She is a social media, event and marketing coordinator for the Talisman. Outside of school, she works part time at Pathway Church and is a manager at Woof’s Play & Stay.

Congratulations to both of these bright recipients!

Distinguished Alumni Award Nominations

Nominate a distinguished graduate!

Every homecoming, Friends University celebrates distinguished alumni in three categories:

Distinguished Alumni for Outstanding Achievement in R.I.S.E. Values
Distinguished Alumni for Outstanding Achievement in the Fine Arts
Distinguished Alumni for Outstanding Christian Leadership and Service

If you know someone who should be honored for their achievements, click HERE to nominate them!

Laura Sanders '09

Human Resources Director for the City of Bartlesville, OK, Laura Sanders was recently named assistant city manager. She has been considered an integral member of Bartlesville’s leadership team since 2015 and was promoted to Human Resources Director in 2019.

Her responsibilities as assistant city manager began on May 2.

Dr. Jessica Thomas '11

Dr. Jessica Thomas, an MFT alum, is anticipating the release of her book, Choosing Light: Transforming Grief through the Practice of Mindful Photography and Self-Reflection (published by Rowman & Littlefield) in July. The content of this work is an expansion of her PhD research which sought to discover alternative, creative methods to aid the grief process. Dr. Thomas is a therapist, educator and clinical supervisor who splits her time between the West Coast and Lawrence, Kansas.

Troy Puga '20

In partnership with Associate Professor of Biology, Dr. Prince Agbedanu, Troy Puga had a research study titled COVID-19 NFL Injury Prevalence Analysis, A Follow-up Study published on the Journal of Medical Internet Research website. The NFL study sought to examine the long-term effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw an increase in athletic injuries during the 2020 season. The original study purported that this injury spike was likely due to facility shutdowns, causing decreased physiological adaptations in the bodies of each athlete. According to Dr. Agbedanu and Puga’s follow up study, they concluded that “retraining can occur, resulting in the development of injury protective factors, as injury rates returned to baseline levels after 2020.”

Dr. Ken Canfield '78

Dr. Ken Canfield, a Friends University Distinguished Alumni award winner, was featured on an episode of the Let's Talk About Fatherlessness Show (Audio Podcast). Dr. Canfield is founder of the National Center for Fathering, the Father to Father initiative, and the National Fatherhood Leaders Group. He has shared his research and philosophies on weekly radio shows, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s World News Tonight, Focus on the Family, and the Opera Winfrey Show.

Check out his guest podcast appearance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnpy0c3Kz78&ab_channel=LifeFactorsFatherlessMinistrieswithSeanTeis

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We love being able to celebrate the accomplishments of our Falcon family! Would you like to be considered for a future issue of Friends Flash? Share your personal or professional milestone with the Alumni Office via email.

To commemorate this anniversary year, we are hoping to establish a new 125^th Anniversary Scholarship. We have raised $25,000 to date but need your help to meet our $125,000 goal. This is yet another way we can make this high-quality private education more affordable for more students. Friends University’s history has been marked by a legacy of generosity from alumni like you. Now is your opportunity to carry that tradition well into the future by donating to the 125^th Anniversary Scholarship today.

Donate HERE!

Sat. June 8, 2024 | Friends University Day at the Sedgwick County Zoo

Click HERE to purchase tickets.

Sat. November 9-10, 2024 | SQ 100^th Anniversary Weekend

Click HERE for more information.

Friends University

2100 W. University Ave., Wichita
KS 67213 United States

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