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KU News: Distinguished professor’s lecture to address self-determination for people with disabilities

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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

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Distinguished professor’s lecture to address self-determination for people with disabilities
LAWRENCE — Karrie Shogren has dedicated the past two decades of her career to exploring barriers to supporting self-determination for people with disabilities. Shogren will present her inaugural distinguished professor lecture, “Advancing Self-Determination: Building Systems of Supports with the Disability Community,” at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union.

Center for East Asian Studies opens Year of Migration programming with speaker and film series
LAWRENCE — The Center for East Asian Studies’ (CEAS) 2023-2024 programming, which focuses on migration, kicks off with two Global Asia speakers and a film series. All CEAS events are free and open to the public.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Savannah Rattanavong, 785-864-6402, [email protected]
Distinguished professor’s lecture to address self-determination for people with disabilities

LAWRENCE — Research shows promoting autonomy leads to valued life outcomes, but for people with disabilities, barriers to supporting self-determination persist. Karrie Shogren, the Ross and Marianna Beach Distinguished Professor of Special Education in the KU School of Education & Human Sciences, has dedicated the past two decades of her career to exploring this topic.

Shogren will present her inaugural distinguished professor lecture, “Advancing Self-Determination: Building Systems of Supports with the Disability Community,” at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union.

Individuals can register to attend the event, which will have a reception to follow at 6:30 p.m.

The lecture will cover research that establishes definitional frameworks, assessments and evidence-based interventions that encourage self-determination to enhance school and community outcomes. The research also highlights partnerships with the disability community and the importance of creating support systems that allow people with disabilities to make their own choices and set goals for themselves.

“It is a privilege to have this opportunity to elevate and share work that has been driven by the disability community to change systems and practices to advance self-determination,” Shogren said.

Shogren’s research, which she has presented locally, nationally and internationally, focuses on assessment and intervention in self-determination and supported decision-making for people with disabilities. Her work has helped shape the direction of services and support for people with disabilities in schools and communities, as well as influenced research, theory and practice in related fields.

Currently serving as the director of the KU Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD), Shogren also is the associate director of the Beach Center on Disability and a senior scientist at the Schiefelbusch Life Span Institute. She is a co-editor of the peer-reviewed academic journal Remedial and Special Education, as well as a fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and American Psychological Association.

In addition, Shogren has contributed to several boards and committees related to advocacy and research with the disability community. She is an appointed member of the Standing Committee of Medical and Vocational Experts for the Social Security Administration’s Disability Programs under the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Shogren has led multiple grant-funded projects, one of which recently received $250,000 from the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards program. The project focuses on expanding opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to engage in research that affects them.

Shogren has published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals and authored or co-authored more than 20 books. She joined KU’s Department of Special Education as an associate professor in 2013, though she served as an adjunct professor and research associate with the Beach Center in prior years. Shogren was previously a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Texas at Austin.

She earned a doctorate in special education from KU, a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ohio State University.

The first distinguished professorships were established at KU in 1958. A university distinguished professorship is awarded wholly based on merit, following exacting criteria. A complete list is available on the Distinguished Professor website.

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Contact: LaGretia Copp, 785-864-0307, [email protected]
Center for East Asian Studies opens Year of Migration programming with speaker and film series

LAWRENCE — The Center for East Asian Studies’ (CEAS) 2023-2024 programming, which focuses on migration, kicks off with two Global Asia speakers and a film series. All CEAS events are free and open to the public.

Global Asia speaker series

The speaker series features not only Asia specialists whose research and teaching focus on the region, but also others who deal with any elements of Asia broadly in a global context. The center hopes to engage more faculty and students across different disciplines and professional schools and to produce collectively a new and innovative analytical lens to rethink taken-for-granted assumptions about Asia.

1. “Passport Engagement”: 3:30-5 p.m. Sept. 7 at The Forum in Marvin Hall. Anthropologist Nicole Constable will discuss the problems with “real but fake” passports issued to migrant workers in Hong Kong.
2. “The Cats of Mirikitani” gallery talk: 1:30-3 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Lee Study Center in the Spencer Museum of Art. Documentary filmmaker Linda Hattendorf, KU art historian Maki Kaneko and Spencer curator Kris Ercums discuss artworks in the museum’s collection by Jimmy Mirikitani.

Migration film series

The migration film series is the Center for East Asian Studies’ second annual Asian film series. The four films will address diverse perspectives and issues on migration through the lens of Global Asia.

CEAS partnered with film directors, graduate students and family members of a Japanese war bride to moderate post-screening interdisciplinary discussions and share personal views and insights to foster energetic audience interactions.

1. “The Cats of Mirikitani”: 6-8:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at Room 211 in the Spencer Museum of Art (access through west doors only). Q&A led by Linda Hattendorf, documentary filmmaker.
2. “Minari”: 6-8:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the English Room in the Kansas Union. Q&A led by Kyungmin Jung, graduate student in film & media studies.
3. “Carved in Silence”: 6-8 p.m. Sept. 14 at the English Room in the Kansas Union. Q&A led by Felicia Lowe, documentary filmmaker.
4. “War Brides of Japan”: 6-8 p.m. Sept. 15 at the English Room in the Kansas Union. Q&A led by Linda Steigerwald and Louise Lake, daughters of a Japanese war bride.

These events are part of the Center for East Asian Studies’ Title VI grant activities. The 2022-2026 grant uses the conceptual frame of Global Asia to address diverse perspectives on nationally and internationally pressing issues. This year’s theme, shared by all KU area studies centers, is migration. It will address various related issues and concerns through educational activities such as a movie series, speakers, workshops and a spring conference. The intent is to address social, political and cultural issues and concerns related to migration through a focus on Asian and Asian American experiences.

The importance of Asian migration cannot be overstated, said Akiko Takeyama, CEAS director.

“Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the U.S,” Takeyama said. “With our annual theme, migration, we will explore the flow of not only people and cultures, but also technologies, commodities and capital in today’s global age. Various topics regarding migration allow us to acknowledge creative connections and new sociality while critically engaging in the dialogues on geopolitical orders, structural inequalities and social injustices. I hope more people come to embrace different perspectives and respect one another.”

To achieve these goals, the Center created a migration steering committee consisting of CEAS-affiliated faculty Maki Kaneko (art history), Kwangok Song (curriculum & teaching), David Mai (film & media studies) and Ayako Mizumura (sociology). This interdisciplinary committee works collaboratively and shares ideas and insights on migration issues through their diverse perspectives. Mizumura said the goal of CEAS’s programming is to “generate dialogues and open-ended discussions on past and current Asian migrant experiences. In turn, these activities help create a supportive community at KU for learning about underrepresented Asian migrants — their histories, struggles, resilieces, cultures and experiences in the U.S.”

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

 

KU New: Study shows physical education teachers influence students’ attitudes about physical activity later in life

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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

Study shows physical education teachers influence students’ attitudes about physical activity later in life
LAWRENCE — Research has long shown that as students get older, their physical activity level drops. Thus, high school can be the last chance to encourage students to be physically active and encourage a healthy lifestyle. A study from the University of Kansas shows that physical education teachers greatly influence students’ perception of the class and its purpose and also influence how likely they are to remain physically active later in life.

Solo exhibition offers portrait of an eco-anxious artist
LAWRENCE — Titled “I Will Destroy You,” a new solo exhibition includes the physically manipulated photos Lilly McElroy has installed to reflect the eco-anxiety and mortal dread the University of Kansas assistant teaching professor in the School of Architecture & Design has been experiencing. The exhibition runs Sept. 8 to Oct. 21 at Studios Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Mike Krings, 785-864-8860, [email protected]
Study shows physical education teachers influence students’ attitudes about physical activity later in life

LAWRENCE — Everyone who has gone through high school probably remembers gym class, for better or worse, and the influence their teachers had on the class environment.

A study from the University of Kansas shows that physical education teachers greatly influence students’ perception of the class and its purpose and also influence how likely they are to remain physically active later in life.

Research has long shown that as students get older, their physical activity level drops. Thus, high school can be the last chance to encourage students to be physically active and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

The current study found that physical education teachers greatly influence how students perceive the class, its purpose and that the teachers’ style influences whether they enjoy physical activity. Thus, teachers should focus on providing a positive, fun experience in PE classes instead of simply having students compete or complete rote physical tasks, students indicated.

“My thing is always, ‘Let’s ask the students.’ We should be shaping physical education around what they want and need, along with what we want to be teaching content-wise to our students,” said Ken Murfay, assistant teaching professor of health, sport & exercise science at KU and lead author of the study. “The more we can give PE meaning for students, the better it will be long-term. Students want it to be both fun and meaningful.”

Study authors conducted focus group interviews with 25 students entering high school. The school was chosen because its primary physical education teacher had a reputation as an effective educator and students entered the school via a lottery system, ensuring a diverse cross section of participants. The results showed the students understood the purpose of physical education was to provide them a time to be physically active and teach them ways they could continue to have activity throughout their lives.

To that theme, the students indicated they preferred a variety of activities to an overemphasis on certain sports or to simply understand the rules or scoring of a particular sport, such as basketball.

Students also indicated they felt PE should be a fun experience to be meaningful. Those who reported enjoying the class also indicated the class had purpose and taught them ways to be active. Those who had negative experiences reported the class was simply a way to take up an hour of their school day or that they were instructed to move with little guidance or had an overemphasis placed on competition.

Perhaps the most significant theme was that students reported the influence the teacher had on their experience. A teacher’s style and the experiences they designed and provided largely shaped how students viewed the class, the sport or activity they were taking part in and their attitudes toward activity itself.

“Definitely a noticeable effect if you have a strict hardcore gym teacher who’s like, ‘You have to do this perfectly.’ It’s going to make the gym experience less enjoyable, and then you’re going to probably not really try to stay as active because now you have a negative experience in that field,” one student said. “You’re like, ‘I don’t really feel like doing this anymore.’ And especially in gym class when you have to be there for an hour and it’s required. You have no way out of it. You have a teacher that’s just yelling at you all day, like commands and stuff. It definitely changes the experience entirely.”

Murfay and colleagues examine physical education through social cognitive theory. The theory holds that human thoughts and actions are based on personal, behavioral and environmental factors. PE as taught in school is an environmental factor that can influence personal factors like self-efficacy. Teachers’ social persuasion through words and actions can also influence student perceptions of physical education and activity, and the curriculum they choose to implement — whether only team sports or a variety of activities — can shape how students view physical activity throughout life.

The study, published in the journal European Physical Education Review, was co-written with Aaron Beighle, Heather Erwin and Erin Aiello of the University of Kentucky.

Previous research has shown perceptions of PE are mixed, with negative attitudes increasing with age. A better understanding of the role teachers play in those perceptions can both help improve the experience for students at a crucial time in their lives and educations as well as encourage teachers to use more effective approaches. Results showing students prefer a fun, positively motivating experience with a variety of activity options can help encourage better PE curriculum, Murfay said.

A former K-8 physical education teacher, he said the goal of his research is to continually improve physical education, as studies have shown physical activity has a wide range of benefits throughout life, both physical and mental. As physical education can often be overlooked or its importance not fully understood, illustrating the importance of good PE teachers as crucial.

“How a teacher frames physical education is very important in how the student interprets it,” he said. “The environment a teacher creates affects how they view activity and sport in general, and perceptions are influenced by experience. If they get a teacher who is passionate and lets students control their physical activity, it can make a big difference.”

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Contact: Rick Hellman, 785-864-8852, [email protected]
Solo exhibition offers portrait of an eco-anxious artist

LAWRENCE – It was 100 degrees the day Lilly McElroy started installing her solo exhibition at Studios Inc., a nonprofit arts organization in Kansas City, Missouri, where she has had a studio for the past three years. But in this exhibition space, the sun is felt mainly by its absence in the landscape photographs she will show there Sept. 8 to Oct. 21.

Titled “I Will Destroy You,” the exhibition includes the physically manipulated photos McElroy has installed to reflect the eco-anxiety and mortal dread the University of Kansas assistant teaching professor in the School of Architecture & Design has been experiencing.

McElroy, who calls herself a “lens-based artist,” has also included two video loops that show her hand reflecting the sun back to itself.

“These are some of the most traditional photographs I’ve made in a long time,” she said of the main group in the new show. “They are made by going out into the landscape and enacting the traditional role of the photographer with large-format, 4-by-5 camera on a tripod.”

Four-by-5 refers to the size of the film negative in inches.

“I photographed the sun either rising or setting using color negatives. And after I get the negatives processed, I use my fingernail to scratch away the delicate layers of emulsion that comprise the sun’s image. That’s what creates the absence.”

The result is that the eroded suns show up in McElroy’s prints as stark — even angry — red, yellow and/or black holes in otherwise full-color photos.

“It’s allowing me to make work that is very much about eco-anxiety and climate change,” she said. “So this is about impending doom. Not to be flippant, but that’s what I’m thinking about with this work — this idea of being in the world and acknowledging the fact that catastrophe is coming.”

McElroy used the word solastalgia to describe her feelings.

“It’s relatively new for me,” she said, “and I think it’s something a lot of people are moving into, or also having to contend with — these feelings of sadness and despair … and how do you move forward?”

McElroy also has work up at KU’s Spencer Museum of Art as part of their exhibition “Reading the World” that is from another series.

“That body of work is an ongoing project called ‘I Control The Sun’ in which I stick my hand out as if I am grasping the sun,” McElroy said. “It’s about trying to control something that you have no hope of controlling.

“These two bodies of work have allowed me to make beautiful images, something I enjoy. But so often with things that are beautiful, you can look at them and just move right past. However, with the ‘I Control The Sun’ series, even though the pictures are very pretty, that interruption of my hand forces you to reevaluate what’s happening. It doesn’t let you slide off the surface of the image. And in the same way, the physical interruptions that I’ve made on the negatives change your perception of what I would otherwise call very pretty landscapes.”

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

KU News: KU School of Business receives largest gift in school history

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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

KU School of Business receives largest gift in school history
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business received a $50 million commitment from an anonymous donor that will transform business education and research at the school. The gift, the largest in KU School of Business history, will also provide funds to advance key initiatives supporting undergraduate student success.

Study examines role of religion in substance use services, finds it’s often located in racially diverse communities
LAWRENCE — People have turned to religion and spirituality to deal with crises and critical needs for centuries. Yet little is known how religion plays a role in substance use care. A new publication from the University of Kansas and Georgetown University explored the religious orientation of facilities within the substance use and addiction system of care throughout the Kansas City region, the religiousness of services, where the services are located and differences in services offered.

Two Lawrence-based projects among recipients of 2023 Rocket Grants
LAWRENCE — The 2023 Rocket Grants have awarded a total of $60,000 for 10 artist projects in the Lawrence and Kansas City area. Two awards will support Lawrence-based projects: the planting of fruit trees around Lawrence Public Library accompanied by collective song by artists Skyler Adamson and Hazlett Henderson, and a new play by Timmia Hearn DeRoy, who recently received her doctorate in theatre from the University of Kansas. Rocket Grants are a partnership between Charlotte Street and the Spencer Museum of Art.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Michelle Keller, KU Endowment, 785-832-7336, [email protected]; @KUEndowment; Lauren Cunningham, School of Business, 785-864-9540, [email protected], @KUbschool
KU School of Business receives largest gift in school history
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Business received a $50 million commitment from an anonymous donor that will transform business education and research at the school. The gift, the largest in KU School of Business history, will also provide funds to advance key initiatives supporting undergraduate student success.
“This transformative gift supports the School of Business’ ongoing commitment to excellence in research and student success,” said Paige Fields, KU School of Business dean. “It will allow our school to further invest in our current mission-driven initiatives, to pursue aspirational objectives and to identify future opportunities, ensuring we continue delivering relevant, innovative business education.”
The newly endowed fund will provide critical resources for several of the school’s priorities, including improving the quality and quantity of scholarly output by providing support for faculty professorships and fellowships.
As the school experiences record growth in student enrollment, this gift also will bolster student success priorities including the school’s recently revamped entrepreneurship programs; career-focused opportunities within the school’s EY Professionalism Program; and scholarship, retention and programmatic efforts among diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), study abroad and academic enrichment programs.
The donor made the gift in honor of the school’s accomplishments both throughout its history and in recent years following its strategic planning process, which began during the 2017-18 academic year. Under the plan, the School of Business has launched certificate programs; reviewed and updated its undergraduate curriculum; created more flexible undergraduate admissions policies; introduced a master’s degree in business analytics; enhanced research incentives for tenure-track faculty; and built out previously unfinished spaces in Capitol Federal Hall to accommodate growth in the school, among other initiatives. By making this gift, the donor expressed a strong belief in the school’s future and a desire to help propel its stature.
“While a gift of this size is certainly newsworthy, it’s what this gift will enable that is truly worth noting,” said Dan Martin, president, KU Endowment. “The impact of such a sizable gift will have a ripple effect that extends well beyond this current moment in time. We are honored and humbled by the donor’s choice to invest in the School of Business and look forward to sharing future success stories that will be written because of their generosity.”

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The official university Twitter account has changed to @UnivOfKansas.
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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
Study examines role of religion in substance use services, finds it’s often located in racially diverse communities
LAWRENCE — People have turned to religion and spirituality to deal with crises and critical needs for centuries. Yet little is known how religion plays a role in substance use care. A new publication from the University of Kansas and Georgetown University explored the religious orientation of facilities within the substance use and addiction system of care throughout the Kansas City region, the religiousness of services, where the services are located and differences in services offered.
The study showed facilities that appeared more religious, or where faith or religiousness was centered, often offered a wider range of services and were located in racially diverse communities. The findings can help service providers make better referrals to direct people to places that will best serve their needs. The results also provide a roadmap for other communities to better understand their substance use services and gaps to ultimately help more people on the road to recovery, according to the researchers.
The study grew out of a larger project KU has led to better understand what substance use and misuse services are available throughout the Kansas City metro area to combat the opioid epidemic.
“The strong presence of the faith community in the substance use and recovery collective inspired this strategy of exploring the role of faith-based organizations within this system of care. We wanted to understand this topic deeper and contribute the literature by systematically considering the value faith can add in a person’s journey,” said Amittia Parker a KU alumna now with Georgetown University who was part of the services census and lead author of the publication. “Especially in communities of color where seeking mental health and substance use help is stigmatized. Faith-based services are often preferred sources of support for many in those communities.”
Researchers surveyed substance use and addiction services across a continuum including prevention, treatment, recovery and supportive services throughout the metro area, across 10 counties and two states. The facilities were asked how they identify their organizational designation and to what extent faith or religiousness was involved in their organization or service offering. Researchers documented the centrality of religiousness within the organization and in spaces that were faith-centered or permeated — there were usually religious art, scriptures/texts, symbols and personnel such as pastors, rabbis, imams or others as part of their services. This is one of the few studies that collected this type of information and mapped the location of the facilities within the service sector.
The study, co-written with Nancy Jo Kepple, associate professor of social welfare at KU, was published in the Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work.
The findings showed that a high density of faith-based or faith centered services were located in communities of color. That may mean that the organizations are potentially addressing service gaps, as those communities have traditionally been under-resourced and underserved, the researchers wrote. Findings also showed a range of services offered and an association between the number of services offered and religious orientation.
“We found faith-based services were more prevalent in more urban areas, and they were also more likely to provide a variety of services within the continuum of care,” Parker said.
The services offered at the faith-based organizations often went beyond substance or mental health treatments, including housing. However, the same facilities were less likely to provide housing for individuals who identify as transgender and expressed ambivalence about medication-assisted treatment. Faith-based organizations are known to provide free or low-cost services for low-income individuals or those without insurance.
“This brought up for us that there are gaps in the service sector and likely people not being well-served. There are a growing number of people who do not identify as religious or spiritual, and also may be under-resourced or uninsured under-resourced,” Parker said. “This research on the service sector, religious orientation and gaps in services can hopefully open conversations about the service offerings across facilities in the community and who may or may not be the best fit at these respective facilities.”
More secular organizations were also found to often offer specialized services, such as hospital-based inpatient detox, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services. It is clear that secular and faith-based organizations are contributing to the service sector in unique ways, the researchers wrote.
Among facilities that identified as religious, the majority were Judeo-Christian based, which can leave a gap for followers of other religions or individuals who are spiritual but not in a traditional religious sense, according to the researchers.
The study is not intended to promote one type of service over another but to meet the goal of social work in helping people achieve access to the services and supports that they desire and prefer, and optimal health as they define it, Parker and Kepple wrote. That can help facilitate a match of services that results in satisfaction and increased likelihood of recovery.
“This can lead to a misfit or negative interaction,” Parker said of making referrals without considering individual needs. “When people are in that moment where they are ready to seek help, it is a very critical time. This study helps elevate the idea that there are many things to consider when helping people seek help, and understanding the religious orientation of the facility or organization can help reduce the risk of the client being uncomfortable and having a negative experience.”
The findings offer not only a better understanding of what is available in the Kansas City area but a roadmap other communities can use to determine what is available in their area. Additionally, it helps point out that facilities can collaborate, whether faith-based or not, to ensure individuals are getting the best possible services for their needs.
“It is necessary to continue to examine the integration of (or lack of) FBOs (faith-based organizations) within the system of care, and especially within the substance use system of care. This study provides insights into where FBOs may assist in addressing services gaps within the substance use system of care in addition to existing limitations,” Parker and Kepple wrote. “Understanding how FBOs continue to respond to the needs within communities, where FBOs are located and provide services, as well as the service offerings and serve access gaps, will remain important into the future.”
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Contact: Elizabeth Kanost, Spencer Museum of Art, 785-864-0142, [email protected], @SpencerMuseum
Two Lawrence-based projects among recipients of 2023 Rocket Grants
LAWRENCE — The 2023 Rocket Grants have awarded a total of $60,000 for 10 artist projects in the Lawrence and Kansas City area. Two awards will support Lawrence-based projects: the planting of fruit trees around Lawrence Public Library accompanied by collective song by artists Skyler Adamson and Hazlett Henderson, and a new play by Timmia Hearn DeRoy, who recently received her doctorate in theatre from the University of Kansas.
Rocket Grants, a partnership of Charlotte Street and the Spencer Museum of Art, support innovative, artist-driven projects outside of established arts venues through funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. This year’s selected projects address a broad range of topics, from uplifting local music to raising awareness about fatalities related to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
The awardees were selected from a highly competitive pool of 77 applications. For this cycle, the jury consisted of four artists and nonprofit leaders: Mona Cliff, artist and former Rocket Grants recipient based in Lawrence; Eureka Gilkey, executive director at Project Row Houses in Houston, Texas; Blanca Herrada an artist based in Lawrence; and Thomas James, curator and executive director at The Last Resort Artist Retreat in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Rocket Grants promise new experiences in unexpected places this year,” said Saralyn Reece Hardy, Spencer Museum director. “It is especially inspiring to see the commitment to community and place through many forms of art-making in our region. Projects demonstrate adventurous and imaginative latitude roaming through visual art, music, collective celebration, theater and poetry.”
The public is invited to celebrate this year’s recipients at an awards ceremony from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 6 at Charlotte Street in Kansas City. A press preview will occur immediately prior to the ceremony from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information about Rocket Grants and this year’s award recipients, visit www.rocketgrants.org.
A complete list of 2023 Rocket Grants recipients:
Fruit Tree Community Choir / Skyler Adamson and Hazlett Henderson
A celebration of planting community fruit trees around the Lawrence Public Library accompanied by collective song.

Flew the Coop Sessions / Cody Boston
A live music video series that provides local artists with high-quality video and audio recordings of their performances.

Kawsmouth River Carnival / Jac Danger, Matthew Lloyd, and Kimmon Smutz
A playful, interactive festival on the Missouri River offering an immersive art experience for the Kansas City community.

The KC Queertet Live Video Series / Adee Dancy
A string quartet dedicated to uplifting and accompanying queer musical artists in Kansas City.

“On Born Children and Ghosts” / Timmia Hearn DeRoy
A new play that speaks to local and international experiences of pregnancy and childbirth.

Poetry Takes (P)residence / Rhiannon Dickerson
A micro-residency for regional poets of color, amplifying LQBTQIA, female, immigrant and rural voices.

“Seasons and Cycles” / Kyle Jones and Paul Berlinsky
A public concert in February 2024 at the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium.

Kansas City’s Removal Act: The Reckoning on Andrew Jackson Monuments / Neysa Page-Lieberman
A community-centered research project that explores the reckoning of Andrew Jackson monuments in the Kansas City–area.

“The Black Farmer’s 2 Dilemmas” / Ryan Tenney
A performance at Sankara Farm, a Black, family-owned and operated agro-ecological farm in Kansas City.

The Trendsetters: Teen Fashion Showcase with Social Impact / Remy Wharry
A series of eight monthly workshops with high school students, followed by a fashion showcase at 18th and Vine.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

A Never Ending Project

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Weed control seems to be a never ending project for many homeowners. We often think that every weed is controlled in the spring. That is not the case as there are exceptions. Many people mistake little barley (Hordeum pusillum) for a foxtail because the foxtail and little barley seed heads are similar. However, little barley is a winter annual that comes up in late September – October and spends the winter as a small plant. It thrives in the cooler spring temperatures, forms seed heads and dies out usually by July. Foxtail, on the other hand, is a summer annual that does well in hot weather. Also, foxtail will not produce seed heads until mid- to late-summer.

How do we control this menace to the lawn? The best control for little barley is a thick lawn that is mowed high enough that sunlight does not hit the soil. Little barley seed will not germinate in such conditions. Over seeding in the fall can thicken up a tall fescue lawn and prevent a little barley infestation.

However, if you do not plan to overseed, preemergence herbicides can be used to provide at least partial control of this weed. Dimension (dithiopyr) is labeled for barley (Herodium spp.) which would include little barley and therefore can be used to keep this weed under control. Dimension can be found in several homeowner products including Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper and Bonide Crabgrass and Weed Preventer. Other products may contain Dimension in combination with fertilizer or broadleaf weed killers.

Because little barley is a winter annual that germinates in the fall, apply the preemergence herbicide in August and water in to activate. If over seeding, do not apply any preemergence herbicide as it will interfere with the germination of tall fescue.

Horticulture 2023 Newsletter No. 35 

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https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

Blog Post: http://www.ksuhortnewsletter.org

Video of the Week: Overseeding Your Lawn

REMINDERS
•     Harvest winter squash when skin is hard enough that it is not easily punctured with a thumbnail.
•     Remove small tomatoes from vines to encourage development of more mature fruits.
•     Plant garden chrysanthemums for fall color.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
K-State Garden Hour: Seed Saving from Your Garden
Wednesday, September 6th, 12 pm – 1 pm
Seed Saving is a fun way to enjoy gardening without breaking the bank. Most plants produce seeds that can be saved from one year to the next, however, not all seeds are equally suited for saving. Jesse Gilmore,k Wildcat Extension District Horticulture Extension Agent, will discuss the merits of seed saving, the different types of flowers and seeds, and which plants are most suited to seed saving.
https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/consumer-horticulture/garden-hour/

VEGETABLES
Asparagus and Rhubarb in the Autumn Season
The harvest is finished for the year, but rhubarb and asparagus plants still need attention. During dry weather apply supplemental water. Keep planters free of weeds. Wait to fertilize rhubarb until early spring (March) and for asparagus wait until after the harvest next year. Leave asparagus foliage intact until it has lost its green color. At that time, it can be cut back, if desired. (Cynthia Domenghini)

Harvesting and Roasting Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seeds are usually ready for harvest between mid-September to October. As the petals turn brown you can wrap the seed heads with a brown paper bag or cheesecloth and secure it with a twist tie. This will protect the seeds from birds as well as catch any seeds that drop.
Sunflowers are mature when:
• Florets in the center of the head shrivel
• The head turns downward
• The back of the flower head has a lemon-yellow color
Mature seeds are black with longitudinal white stripes. If the seed shell is empty that may
indicate poor pollination earlier in the season. If you choose not to cover the seed head, harvest
when several seeds have turned black and white. Though not all seeds may be mature and the
flavor won’t be as good, this will protect the seeds from becoming bird food.
Cut the seed head free from the plant and place it in a paper bag to dry. Alternatively, cut the head with a foot of stem still attached and hang upside down to dry. Cover the head with a paper bag to catch seeds as they drop. Once fully dried, rub your hand over the seeds to break them free.
Soak mature, unshelled seeds in salt water (2 quarts water:1/2 to 2 cups salt) overnight. To expedite, bring the water to a boil and simmer the seeds for two hours. Spread sunflower seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook at 300 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Toss seeds with melted butter or olive oil and salt to taste. (Cynthia Domenghini)

MISCELLANEOUS
Reblooming Christmas and Thanksgiving Cacti
Christmas cactus (Schlumgera bridgesti) and Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumgera truncata) are differentiated by the stems. Christmas cacti stems tend to be smooth whereas Thanksgiving cacti stems have hook-like appendages.
Both varieties of holiday cacti require a period of short day-length in order to bloom. Growers control lighting and temperature to the plants forcing them to bloom in time to distribute them to retail sites before the holidays. If you’ve received a holiday cactus over the years, you may notice it doesn’t bloom all year long. By controlling the hours of daylight as well as the temperature you can force the plant to bloom.
For about six weeks, keep the cactus in a cool, dark room. The ideal temperature range is between 50- and 55-degrees F. At these temperatures, the cacti should bloom regardless of daylength. When buds begin to develop you can return the cactus to a warmer room to enjoy the bloom. If buds begin to drop it is likely due to the environment. These cacti prefer bright, but indirect light. Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Avoid fertilizing and repotting during the bloom period. (Cynthia Domenghini)

Using Compost
You’ve done all the work to prepare, gather, store and maintain a compost pile; now what do you do with it?
When you have usable compost there are many ways to incorporate it into the garden.
Fertilization and soil improvement: Though the amount of specific nutrients available in compost varies depending on what was composted, there are nutritional benefits when incorporating it into the soil. Apply about ¼ inch of compost over the garden just before tilling. Work the compost into the soil as you till. The decomposed organic materials of compost can improve the soil quality by loosening heavy clay soils and increasing water holding capacity of sandy soils.
Compost at planting: Compost can be added to the bottom of holes prior to planting for a slowrelease of nutrients early in the growing period. It can also be added after planting as a topdressing for direct-seeded vegetables and flowers. This will protect the soil from developing a
crust layer on the surface.
Potting mix for seedlings: Screen the large particles out of the compost and incorporate soil or sand in equal parts to create a potting mix. Ensure the organic matter is fully decomposed and free from disease.
Use on a lawn: Apply a layer of compost prior to planting and top dress every year to fertilize the lawn. (Cynthia Domenghini)

TREES
Elm Leaf Beetle
Description: Young larvae are dark-colored, hairy grubs. Older larvae are yellow with two long, dark stripes. Adult beetles have green and yellow stripes and are about 1/3-inch long.
Life Cycle: There are typically two generations of elm leaf beetles each year. They overwinter as adults and emerge from their protective shelters in early spring. As elm trees develop leaves the beetles move in and females begin laying eggs. Larvae hatch and spread throughout the tree to feed. Larvae reach maturity within four weeks and seek shelter to pupate. They may drop to the base of the tree or crawl within cracks of the bark to pupate. Adults
emerge in about two weeks and relocate to the leaves to eat and mate giving rise to the second
generation of larvae. This generation of adult beetles will wait to lay eggs until the spring.
Damage: Larvae cause most of the damage by skeletonizing leaves of elm trees, giving
preference to Siberian (Chinese) elms. Adult beetles chew holes through the leaves. Leaves that
have been heavily damaged may turn brown and drop.
Control: For healthy trees, at this point in the season, elm leaf beetles and larvae tend not to cause significant damage so spraying is not recommended. If the larvae are active, they can be
controlled with several insecticides. If they have already dropped to pupate spraying will be
ineffective.
Larvae and adult sprays include: acephate (Acephate, Orthene), spinosad (Natural Guard
Spinosad, Conserve, Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew, Monterey Garden Insect Spray), lambda
cyhalothrin (Scimitar, Spectracide Triazicide). (Cynthia Domenghini)

Tree ID
“What Tree is That?” from the Arbor Day Foundation is a small booklet packed with information about Kansas trees. It includes a step-by-step approach for tree ID and full color illustrations making it a great resource for plant lovers of all levels of expertise. More information can be found at http://www.arborday.org/trees/whatTree/ (Cynthia Domenghini)
What Tree Is That? Tree Identification Guide at arborday.org
What Tree Is That? is a tree identification guide from the Arbor Day Foundation, featuring an easy-to-use, step-by-step process to identify nearly any tree in North America.
www.arborday.org

Contributors:
Cynthia Domenghini, Instructor
Ward Upham, Extension Associate

 

Division of Horticulture
1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6173

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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Ernie Minton, Dean.