Leaders in the classroom, administrative, medical and corporate fields will be joined by two programs designed to help students facing adversity and at-risk as inductees into the Mid-America Education Hall of Fame at Kansas City Kansas Community College Saturday, Nov. 2.
The 2013 inductees include Bonner Springs school administrator Dr. Bob Van Maren, Blue Valley science teacher Harry McDonald, Yale University Prof. Dr. Howard Shaw and Burns & McDonnell chairman and CEO Greg Graves along with AT&T and the 2nd Chance Scholarship Foundation.
The 18th annual induction ceremonies and dinner will be held in the J. Paul Jewell Student Center at KCKCC and are a fund-raiser for the KCKCC Endowment Association’s Scholarship Fund.
Open to the public, tickets are $75 and can be reserved by contacting the KCKCC Endowment Association at 913-288-7166 or pmccartney@kckcc.edu.
DR. BOB VAN MAREN – In 16 years as Superintendent of the Bonner Springs School District, Dr. Van Maren guided two successful bond issues enabling USD 204 to dramatically remodel facilities in the district, construct a new elementary school and build one of the first all-weather fields in the Kansas City area. Dr. Van Maren also raised the bar in educational initiatives and programming with four of the district’s five schools achieving Standards of Excellence awards in Math and Reading from the state of Kansas.
HARRY McDONALD – A Presidential Award recipient for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching in Kansas in 2003, Harry McDonald’s 30 years in the Blue Valley School District included development of a science curriculum and the Wilderness Science Center. Actively involved with the U-Kan-Teach program to mentor people desiring to change careers and get into classrooms to make a difference, he also co-chaired the NCA/QPA accreditation for the district and serves on the board for Kansas Families for Education.
DR. HOWARD SHAW – The Outstanding Community College Student in Kansas while at Kansas City Kansas Community College in 1982, Dr. Shaw was also president of Phi Theta Kappa and the College’s Outstanding Student and Academic Award recipient. Today, he’s one of the nation’s leading physicians and hospital administrators, holding three positions with the Yale University School of Medicine. As Chair of the American College OB/GYN In-Service Examination Committee, he is responsible for creating the framework for all future training.
GREG GRAVES – As chairman and CEO of Burns & McDonnell, Greg Graves has been a leader in expanding, encouraging and educating the next generation of engineers, architects, construction managers and environmental scientists. His commitment to promoting the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) include the Battle of the Brains competition to design an exhibit for Science City; embracing an expansive internship program at Burns & McDonnell; and leadership on several university-affiliated boards.
AT&T – To achieve a mission to build strong schools and provide teachers with the resources needed to give all students the opportunity to receive the education they deserve, AT&T made a five-year $250 million commitment to tackle high school success and college/career readiness for at-risk students. Using technology to connect with students, AT&T capitalizes on the power of personal connections in the form of mentoring, internships and volunteer efforts involving many of their 260,000 employees.
2nd CHANCE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION – Founded by Matt and Jessica Brandmeyer, the 2nd Chance Scholarship Foundation provides scholarships to high school graduates who have experienced adversity and desire a second chance by continuing their education. Each recipient is assigned a personal mentor to assist their adjustment to the rigors of higher education. The scholarships, which guaranteed continued support until graduation as long as the criteria and educational standards are met, have been awarded to 37 students from 20 different schools.
