Skip to the content

Kansas State University

News – Archives

K-State Division of Continuing Education Forms Alumni Advisory Committee

May 4, 2007

Kansas State University's Division of Continuing Education has a long track record of award-winning programs in adult and distance education. Now K-State will continue to solidify its position as one of the leading programs in the country with what is believed to be the first distance education Alumni Advisory Committee, made up of former off-campus and distance education students.

The first meeting of the advisory committee was April 26 via teleconference. The advisory committee members also will be using chat sessions and listservs to conduct their work.

“The division has taken the lead from K-State colleges that have established similar advisory boards,” said Elizabeth Unger, vice provost for academic services and technology and dean of continuing education. “The division is primarily focused on serving faculty by assisting them with the creation of distance versions of their on-campus programs, as well as serving students enrolled in distance learning. This committee will advise us in these important areas.”

“We know this alumni advisory committee will help us be even more responsive to the needs of adult and distance students,” said Dave Stewart, assistant dean for program development at the Division of Continuing Education. “All our advisory committee members earned their degrees through distance education, so they know how we can continue to tailor our course offerings to appeal to other distance students. Our research indicates we're the only university with this type of group.”

The advisory committee members agreed to serve primarily because of the positive experience they had when earning their K-State degrees through distance education.

“One of the most valuable aspects of the program is the flexibility. For instance, when I got back from my honeymoon, I had two weeks of work to make up, but it was no problem because you work at your own pace,” said Chris Delfosse, advisory committee member and a K-State alum in food science and industry from Minneapolis, Minn.

“Even though I live near a university with a fine food science program, it didn't offer the flexibility I desired,” Delfosse said. “K-State is the only university in the country that offered a master's degree in food science with online technology.”

K-State is still exploring how the committee will carry out its work, but there is no doubt that most of the interaction between the committee members and Division of Continuing Education will rely on distance technologies, according to Stewart.

“This committee will function primarily at a distance because these are people who already know you can accomplish a lot with the right technology tools, which we have here at K-State,” Stewart said. “We can get their input when we need it, at times when they can give it. We won't be limited to two on-campus meetings per year.”

K-State, through the Division of Continuing Education, has offered distance education programs since 1974. There has been substantial growth both in number of programs offered and in student enrollments in the last 10 years.

“There are so many new distance education programs out there, but K-State can use their many years of distance education experience. Very few programs can say that,” said Fred Bartlett, advisory committee member and a K-State alum in business administration from Mission Hills. “I hope the advisory committee can help K-State promote that experience, and I hope we can encourage other people to complete their degree programs like we have.”

Along with Bartlett and Delfosse, members of the Alumni Advisory Committee include: Alice Womack, Atchison; Suzanne Ahearn, Kansas City, Kan.; and Cheryl Goodell, Wichita.

From out-of-state: Kevin McLain, Jefferson City, Mo.; and Bradley Davidson, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Unger, along with other Division of Continuing Education deans and directors, also will sit on the committee.

“The willingness of these advisory committee members to devote their time and energy to K-State's distance education program is a testament to their belief in the value of what the university has done in distance learning,” Unger said. “We will rely on their insights and guidance to help us plan for the future. At K-State, we work continually to deliver the highest quality education when and where students need it, and this committee will help us continue to innovate and serve students even more effectively.”

More information about K-State distance education programs is available by contacting the Division of Continuing Education at 1-800-622-2578 or online at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/distance/