From the Office of Public Affairs | https://www.news.ku.edu
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All KU campuses named 2025-2026 top Military Friendly Schools
LAWRENCE — All University of Kansas campuses have received top rankings among Tier 1 research institutions in the annual “Military Friendly Schools” survey, the longest-running review of college and university investments in serving military-affiliated students. The KU School of Medicine-Wichita campus was named the No. 8 Military Friendly and No. 8 Military Spouse Friendly School, and the KU Lawrence campus was ranked the No. 9 Military Friendly and No. 9 Military Friendly Spouse School. KU Medical Center, the School of Medicine and Nursing-Salina campus and the Edwards Campus in Overland Park all earned Gold designations as Military Friendly Schools and Military Spouse Friendly Schools.
Junior from Shawnee is KU’s 80th Barry M. Goldwater Scholar
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ 2025 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar is Alexa Magstadt, a junior from Shawnee majoring in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and minoring in Spanish. Magstadt is KU’s 80th Goldwater scholar. Congress established the Goldwater scholarship program in 1986 in tribute to the retired U.S. senator from Arizona and to ensure a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
KU School of Business to honor 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business will recognize Diane Yetter with its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award. Yetter is the president and founder of YETTER Tax, a sales tax consulting and tax technology firm based in Chicago. She also is the founder of The Sales Tax Institute, which provides sales and use tax training for accounting and finance professionals and business owners. Yetter will receive the award for her dedication to business excellence, community service and commitment to KU on April 10 during a private reception.
KU announces recipients of University Scholarly Achievement Awards
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has named three midcareer faculty members as recipients of the annual University Scholarly Achievement Award. They will be recognized at a university reception tonight. Recipients are Markus Potter, associate professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance; Jennifer Raff, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology; and Elaina Sutley, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering.
Two KU juniors to compete for Astronaut Scholarships
LAWRENCE — Two outstanding University of Kansas undergraduates are representing KU in the Astronaut Scholarship program. The six surviving members of the Mercury 7 mission founded the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation in 1984 to encourage students to pursue scientific endeavors to keep the U.S. on the leading edge of technology. KU’s 2025 nominees are Alexa Magstadt, a junior from Shawnee majoring in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and minoring in Spanish, and Elizabeth Miller, a junior from Emporia in interdisciplinary computing with a concentration in chemistry. Scholarship recipients will be announced in late spring.
Full stories below.
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Contact: April Blackmon Strange, Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center, 785-864-6715, [email protected]
All KU campuses named 2025-2026 top Military Friendly Schools
LAWRENCE — All University of Kansas campuses have received top rankings among Tier 1 research institutions in the annual “Military Friendly Schools” survey, the longest-running review of college and university investments in serving military-affiliated students.
The KU School of Medicine-Wichita campus was named the No. 8 Military Friendly and No. 8 Military Spouse Friendly School, and the KU Lawrence campus was ranked the No. 9 Military Friendly and No. 9 Military Friendly Spouse School. KU Medical Center, the School of Medicine and Nursing-Salina campus and the Edwards Campus in Overland Park all earned Gold designations as Military Friendly Schools and Military Spouse Friendly Schools.
Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources and survey information. More than 1,800 institutions participated in the 2025-2026 survey, with 830 earning special awards for going above the standard.
“I believe this is the first time all schools’ campuses were considered for separate designations,” said April Blackmon Strange, director of the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center. “And to have every KU campus receive high rankings is a testament to the university’s dedication to serving our more than 2,200 veterans, service members, spouses, dependents and ROTC students.”
The Military Friendly Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Rankings and survey criteria are available online and will be published in G.I. Jobs magazine’s May and October issues.
The Military-Affiliated Student Center at KU — a nearly 3,000 square foot center in Summerfield Hall — serves as a centralized resource for KU’s military-affiliated community. It includes a lounge with 24-7 access, study spaces, headquarters for the KU Student Veterans of America student organization, VA Work Study opportunities, staff to help with GI Bill benefits, military tuition assistance and more.
The university is one of just 104 campuses nationwide to have the Department of Veterans Affairs VetSuccess on Campus program with a dedicated VA VSOC counselor.
In addition to the center, KU has several scholarships and an emergency fund for military-affiliated students as well as a Veterans Upward Bound program. KU also has a series of National Defense Initiatives facilitating education programming, research development and strategic partnerships. This includes being one of more than 50 universities to have all branches of ROTC and one of eight universities designated as a Department of Defense Language Training Center, which educates hundreds of servicemembers in strategic languages and regional area studies.
In 2024, the KU School of Law received a $1.6 million federal grant to establish a free legal aid clinic dedicated to serving veterans – the first of its kind in the state. The clinic is expected to open later this year.
The KU Edwards Campus has a Veterans and Student Leadership Lounge. Additional KU academic programs and certificates are available both on Fort Leavenworth and in Leavenworth for military and civilians in the area. KU also has a 4,000-member Veterans Alumni Network.
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KU spent $78.9 million across Kansas on research-related goods and services in FY23.
https://ku.edu/distinction
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Contact: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, KU News Service, 785-864-8858, [email protected]
Junior from Shawnee is KU’s 80th Barry M. Goldwater Scholar
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ 2025 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar is Alexa Magstadt, a junior from Shawnee majoring in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and minoring in Spanish. Magstadt is KU’s 80th Goldwater scholar.
Congress established the Goldwater scholarship program in 1986 in tribute to the retired U.S. senator from Arizona and to ensure a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers. The only students eligible for nomination are sophomore- and junior-level students with outstanding academic records, significant research experience and high potential for careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering.
“I am honored to have been recognized for doing what I love most,” Magstadt said. “Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is a reflection of the many faculty mentors, graduate students and peers who have taught me to follow my curiosity and think like a scientist.”
This year, the Goldwater Board of Trustees awarded 441 scholarships to students across the United States. The scholarships cover eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books and room and board, up to $7,500 annually.
“The award has not only inspired confidence in my own abilities, but it will allow me to dedicate more time to progressing my research next year,” Magstadt said.
She aspires to obtain a dual M.D./Ph.D. in cancer biology and practice as a physician-scientist and medical oncologist. At the KU Lawrence campus, she has been a member of the Baer Ecology Lab and the Dixon Cancer Prevention Lab.
Last summer, after being selected as a K-INBRE Summer Scholar, she conducted an independent project with Dan Dixon centered around drug discovery in colorectal cancer, specifically inhibiting oncogenic KRAS mutations with small molecule therapeutics.
Currently, she is performing research related to the impact of metabolic syndrome on the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer with Jennifer Davis at KU Medical Center in the Department of Cancer Biology.
In spring 2024, she presented her work at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego. She received the Nathan Parker Undergraduate Research Travel Award from the Department of Molecular Biosciences and an Honors Opportunity Award from the University Honors Program to attend this conference.
She was also selected as an oral presenter at the 2024 K-INBRE Annual Symposium. Additionally, she is a 2024 University Scholar, a KU BioScholar, a recipient of a 2024 Undergraduate Research Award and a KU Chancellor’s Merit Scholar.
Magstadt is the vice president of the KU club waterski team, an Honors Program ambassador, a member of Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical Fraternity, a member of Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society and a volunteer at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.
“I met Alexa when she was a freshman, and it has been such a joy watching her grow as a researcher over the past few years,” said Erin Wolfram, program director of the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships. “Alexa’s drive and optimism are unparalleled, and I couldn’t be happier seeing her achieve her goal of becoming a Goldwater Scholar.”
Magstadt is the daughter of Dave and Amy Magstadt and a graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School.
Goldwater alumni can be found conducting research that is helping defend the nation, finding cures for catastrophic diseases and teaching future generations of scientists, mathematicians and engineers. KU students interested in applying for Goldwater scholarships next year should contact the Office of Fellowships via email.
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Research at KU powers 54 active startups with more than half based in Kansas.
https://ku.edu/distinction
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Contact: Lauren Cunningham, School of Business, 785-864-9540, [email protected]
KU School of Business to honor 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business will recognize Diane Yetter with its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Yetter, a leader in the field of sales and use tax, will receive the award for her dedication to business excellence, community service and commitment to KU on April 10 during a private reception.
Yetter, a certified public accountant (CPA), is the president and founder of YETTER Tax, a sales tax consulting and tax technology firm based in Chicago. She also is the founder of The Sales Tax Institute, which provides sales and use tax training for accounting and finance professionals and business owners. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from KU in 1985 and her master’s degree in taxation from DePaul University in 1994.
In her role, Yetter works with clients across industries to provide sales tax services ranging from tax technology to tax policy, planning and training. She also serves as a strategist, adviser, speaker and author in her field and frequently presents to industry groups. Yetter was invited twice to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and Subcommittee regarding the impact of the South Dakota v. Wayfair decision on small businesses and remote sellers. She has written articles about sales and use tax issues and has served as an expert witness in legal matters and litigations.
Before founding her company in 1996, Yetter was a state and local tax manager in the Chicago office of Arthur Andersen LLP, the sales and use tax director for the Quaker Oats Co., and a sales and use tax auditor for the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Yetter has served as a member of the KU School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board since 2006, including as chair from 2015 to 2017. She was elected as a trustee of the KU Endowment board in 2015 and is a life member of the KU Alumni Association. Professionally, she is a member of numerous accounting and tax associations and is a board member and secretary of the Business Advisory Council of the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board. She also participates in accounting thought-leadership discussions as part of sales tax software company Avalara’s Accounting Meta Influencers.
She has received numerous professional awards, including the Illinois CPA Society’s 2024 Women to Watch Experienced Leader Award and WomELLE’s 2024 Female Voice Award. She was named among MYCPE ONE’s Top Movers and Shakers of the Accounting Industry in 2024 and among Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People in Accounting eight times between 2011 and 2022. The Chicago chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners recognized her as the 2020 Woman Business Owner of the Year and a 2024 Corporate Woman of Achievement. The Sales Tax Institute was honored in 2024 by MYCPE ONE as a Next Generation Accounting Firm of the Year in its Growth Pioneer category and a Best in Class Accounting Firm in its Learning and Development category.
The School of Business established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998 to honor outstanding graduates and supporters. Award recipients are chosen from the nominations of other alumni and the Dean’s Advisory Board. Candidates are selected based on their business success and service to their communities and to KU.
To date, 68 people have received the award. Previous recipients include investor and philanthropist David Booth, Kansas City business leaders Peter and Veronica Mallouk, entrepreneur and investor Tim Barton and Cerner Corp. co-founder Cliff Illig.
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KU provides fire, rescue and law enforcement training across Kansas.
https://ku.edu/distinction
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Contact: Joe Monaco, Office of Public Affairs, 785-864-7100, [email protected]
KU announces recipients of University Scholarly Achievement Awards
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has named three midcareer faculty members as recipients of the annual University Scholarly Achievement Award.
The annual award recognizes significant research or scholarly achievement across the Lawrence and KU Medical Center campuses and is typically presented in each of four categories: arts and humanities; medicine and clinical sciences; science, technology and mathematics; and social science and professional programs.
This year the award is presented in three of the categories.
This year’s recipients include:
Markus Potter, associate professor, Department of Theatre & Dance
Jennifer Raff, associate professor, Department of Anthropology
Elaina Sutley, associate professor, Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering.
“I want to congratulate Professor Potter, Professor Raff and Professor Sutley on being recipients of our University Scholarly Achievement Award,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “These scholars have all helped elevate our university through their work, and their achievements demonstrate how KU benefits society as one of the nation’s leading research universities.”
The three University Scholarly Achievement Award winners — along with the winners of the university’s other top annual research awards — will be honored at the University Research Awards ceremony tonight at the Jayhawk Welcome Center. All faculty and staff are invited to attend.
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Each of Kansas’ 105 counties receives KU Medical Center outreach.
https://ku.edu/distinction
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Contact: Erin Wolfram, Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships, [email protected]
Two KU juniors to compete for Astronaut Scholarships
LAWRENCE — Two outstanding University of Kansas undergraduates are representing KU in the Astronaut Scholarship program.
The six surviving members of the Mercury 7 mission founded the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) in 1984 to encourage students to pursue scientific endeavors to keep the U.S. on the leading edge of technology. Astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs have joined the foundation, which has awarded $4 million in scholarships to more than 400 of the nation’s top scholars.
KU’s 2025 nominees:
Alexa Magstadt, a junior in molecular, cellular & developmental biology minoring in Spanish.
Elizabeth Miller, a junior in interdisciplinary computing with a concentration in chemistry.
With the support of the ASF, up to two KU undergraduate students will be selected annually to receive up to a $15,000 scholarship during their junior and/or senior year. Nominations were sought from faculty members in all STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — for students with exceptional academic records and considerable research experience. A committee coordinated by the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships selected the university’s candidates for the award. Steven Hawley, KU professor emeritus of physics & astronomy and former astronaut, helped confirm KU’s nominees. The winners of the scholarship will be announced in late spring. The Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships will start seeking Astronaut Scholarship nominations for next year in fall 2025.
The ASF board of directors selected KU to join the program based upon the excellence of the university’s STEM academic programs for undergraduates and the strong research capabilities and opportunities for undergraduate students. Admission into the scholarship program is highly competitive, and only the top research universities in the country are chosen to participate.
Alexa Magstadt, from Shawnee, is the daughter of Dave and Amy Magstadt and a graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. Magstadt is majoring in molecular, cellular & developmental biology and minoring in Spanish. She aspires to obtain a dual M.D./Ph.D. in cancer biology and practice as a physician-scientist and medical oncologist. At the KU Lawrence campus, she has been a member of the Baer Ecology Lab and the Dixon Cancer Prevention Lab. Last summer, after being selected as a K-INBRE Summer Scholar, she conducted an independent project with Dan Dixon centered around drug discovery in colorectal cancer, specifically inhibiting oncogenic KRAS mutations with small molecule therapeutics. Currently, she is performing research related to the impact of metabolic syndrome on the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer with Jennifer Davis at KU Medical Center in the Department of Cancer Biology. In spring 2024, she presented her work at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in San Diego. She received the Nathan Parker Undergraduate Research Travel Award from the Department of Molecular Biosciences and an Honors Opportunity Award from the University Honors Program to attend this conference. She was also selected as a presenter at the 2024 K-INBRE Annual Symposium and was awarded first place for her oral presentation. Additionally, she is a 2024 University Scholar, a KU BioScholar, a recipient of a 2024 Undergraduate Research Award and a KU Chancellor’s Merit Scholar. Magstadt is the vice president of the KU club waterski team, an Honors Program ambassador, a member of Phi Delta Epsilon Pre-Medical Fraternity, a member of Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society and a volunteer at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. She is a 2025 Goldwater Scholar.
Elizabeth Miller, from Emporia, is the daughter of Daniel Miller and Jai Park and a graduate of Emporia High School. She is majoring in interdisciplinary computing with a concentration in chemistry and plans to pursue a doctorate in computational biology, focusing on its applications to biomedical research. Currently, Miller works in the computational biology lab of Joanna Slusky, professor of molecular biosciences, where she is working on the structural determination of the major outer membrane protein in Chlamydia trachomatis and developing a dataset of human metalloenzymes. Previously, she worked in the lab of Zarko Boskovic, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry, synthesizing and characterizing novel organic compounds with possible biological activity. Her contribution to optimizing and exploring the scope of a new photochemical reaction led to a publication in the Journal of Organic Chemistry, of which she is a co-author. Miller has presented this work at the 2024 KU Honors Mossberg Pharmacy Symposium and the 2024 Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the state capital. Miller, a member of the University Honors Program, was a previous Emerging Scholar and is a recipient of the KU Chancellor’s Merit Scholarship and Engineering Dean’s Scholarship. Additionally, she volunteers as a tutor for KU’s Association of Computing Machinery chapter and participated in KU LibArt; her paintings are currently displayed in KU Libraries for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
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Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]
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