{"id":5401,"date":"2021-08-23T15:43:27","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T20:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/?p=5401"},"modified":"2021-08-23T15:43:27","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T20:43:27","slug":"hello-president-kennedy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/2021\/08\/23\/hello-president-kennedy\/","title":{"rendered":"Hello, President Kennedy!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start\" style=\"max-width:104%;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div ><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img width=\"1800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"President kennedy sitting in a chair next to a griffon statue\" title=\"President_1800x600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600.png\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-5448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600-200x67.png 200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600-400x133.png 400w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600-600x200.png 600w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600-800x267.png 800w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600-1200x400.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/President_1800x600.png 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-flex-container.fusion-builder-row-1{ padding-top : 0px;margin-top : 0px;padding-right : 0px;padding-bottom : 0px;margin-bottom : 0px;padding-left : 0px;}<\/style><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start\" style=\"max-width:104%;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;width:100%;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_3_4 3_4 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-1{margin-top:0px!important;margin-bottom:31px!important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-1{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-one\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:31px;\"><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-left\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-solid\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><h1 class=\"title-heading-center\" style=\"margin:0;\">Hello, President Kennedy!<\/h1><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-right\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-single sep-solid\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After serving as 大象传媒 Western\u2019s interim president since July 2020, Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy was officially named 大象传媒 Western\u2019s sixth president in February 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From the moment she first stepped on campus to interview for 大象传媒 Western\u2019s vice provost position in 2019, she knew it was a very special place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWhat I believe higher education should be all about is embodied at 大象传媒 Western, and I knew immediately that I wanted to become a part of this institution and the Griffon family.\u201d Everyone she encountered, both on and off campus, was so warm and welcoming. \u201cThey say things happen for a reason,\u201d she added, and to Dr. Kennedy, 大象传媒 Western has always felt like where she was meant to be. The University\u2019s history of welcoming students of all backgrounds was one of the attractions. \u201cAll any of us need is an opportunity, and that\u2019s what we provide at 大象传媒 Western \u2013 the opportunity to achieve one\u2019s goals and aspirations,\u201d Kennedy said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Once in the role of vice provost, she shifted into high gear immediately. She focused on further implementation of 大象传媒 Western\u2019s strategic plan, including strengthening student success, creating new partnerships and expanding applied learning. Approximately six months after starting at 大象传媒 Western, she was named interim president, and a little more than seven months later, the 大象传媒 Western Board of Governors voted unanimously to name Kennedy 大象传媒 Western\u2019s sixth president. It\u2019s been non-stop \u201cgo\u201d ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A university presidency wasn\u2019t on her list of career goals when she graduated from Ruskin High School in Kansas City. Like many teenagers, Kennedy wasn\u2019t sure what she wanted to do after graduation. Even though she and her sister were both enrolled in a local college, she wasn\u2019t completely convinced that she had made the right decision. Meanwhile, her immediate family had moved to Ohio, as her father had taken a new position there. At that point, a little homesick and unsure of her future, she decided to move to Ohio to be with her family. She began school and started working on her undergraduate degree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Akron (UA), she was accepted into a Master\u2019s-to-Ph.D. program at the same university. From there, she earned her Master of Arts in Psychology, Graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Doctorate in Psychology, Applied Cognitive Learning.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kennedy\u2019s graduate work launched her academic career as she was hired by UA as an assistant professor of social sciences with a primary responsibility to oversee the university\u2019s death and dying courses. She spent 17 years teaching undergraduate students across a variety of majors and participated heavily in UA\u2019s Institute for Life-span Development and Gerontology.\u00a0 Kennedy also worked as a bereavement specialist for a local hospice agency, providing grief education workshops and engaging in various hospice programming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond being a professor, Kennedy also held a variety of positions at the University of Akron, which allowed her to develop solid administration skills in diverse academic settings. She served as a department chair, associate dean, dean of two colleges (College of Applied Science and Technology; College of Health Professions) as well as on many committees and task forces, including service in the faculty senate as an executive committee member. Further, Kennedy also served in UA\u2019s American Association of University Professors Akron Chapter, first as a member of the negotiation team for two collective bargaining agreements and then as the Chapter\u2019s grievance officer for a little over three years. She believes her broad experiences have provided her invaluable perspectives from both a faculty member as well as from an administrator viewpoint. \u201cWhile my background may not be unique, it has given me a rich history and unique skill set to do this job,\u201d she stated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Kennedy\u2019s personal life experiences, coupled with the firm belief in the importance of lifelong learning, have created her passion for her work today. \u201cI absolutely believe in the transformative impact that education, particularly higher education, can have for an individual, his\/her family, and our community as a whole. I\u2019ve experienced it in my own life; I\u2019ve witnessed it in my students\u2019 lives, and I\u2019ve seen the positive reverberations in many communities.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to Kennedy, 大象传媒 Western\u2019s relentless commitment to student success and the institution\u2019s dedication to enriching and empowering our students is yet another hallmark of distinction. With this in mind, it\u2019s clear why her goals of enriching the relationships between the University and community are front-and-center in her work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The opportunity to join 大象传媒 Western was incredibly enticing to Kennedy. Also, after being away from her family for so many years in Ohio, she wanted to get back to the Kansas City area to be closer to her loved ones and friends still in the region. She was attracted to 大象传媒 Western\u2019s position of vice provost because there was a \u201ccomplete overlap\u201d with academic programs she had worked with previously. Additionally, 大象传媒 Western\u2019s applied learning mission, abundance of opportunities for hands-on learning, and, \u201cjust the complete commitment of faculty, staff, and administrators to support student success,\u201d were definitely institutional qualities she could connect with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although Kennedy\u2019s time at 大象传媒 Western has been marked by uncertainty, she is ready to look to the future. Kennedy believes that we have many positive areas to be very excited about at 大象传媒 Western. \u201cWe\u2019re launching new programs, expanding applied learning, connecting with our community, enhancing our campus grounds, returning to some of our campus traditions that we had to cancel last year. With our students returning back in person this fall, there is just \u201cso much energy building. I\u2019m very eager to see what the next year will bring.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cTruly, the sky\u2019s the limit for what we can do and where we will go at 大象传媒 Western,\u201d she said. And with Dr. Kennedy in the lead, we intend to soar. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:75% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 2.56%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 2.56%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_1_4 1_4 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div ><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"><img width=\"300\" height=\"300\" alt=\"president kennedy with governor parson\" title=\"IMG_1304\" src=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516-300x300.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-5403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/133\/2021\/08\/IMG_1304-e1629316136516.jpg 1026w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>Dr. Kennedy meets with 大象传媒 governor Mike Parson on campus.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:25% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 7.68%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 7.68%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-separator fusion-full-width-sep\" style=\"align-self: center;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;width:100%;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}<\/style><\/div><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-body .fusion-flex-container.fusion-builder-row-2{ padding-top : 0px;margin-top : 0px;padding-right : 30px;padding-bottom 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30px;}<\/style><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":5409,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19,36],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5401"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5548,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5401\/revisions\/5548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}