Through a video at the Board of Trustees meeting last Thursday, Chancellor Doug Whitlock reported on numerous campus developments over the past four months including student and faculty achievements, along with major gifts. Provost Lynita Cooksey introduced the video to the Board on his behalf; Whitlock was not able to attend because of a travel commitment he had made prior to his appointment. The video is available online.

Dr. Ronald Johnson, professor of biology, is the most recent recipient of the annual "You Made a Difference Advisor Award." The Wilson Advising Center and the Student Government Association collaborate in the recognition, which is student-nominated and student-selected. Johnson, nominated by Aylin Billalpa-Arroyo, was chosen from among 31 advisers. The award is based on multiple criteria, including availability to advisees and dedication to mentoring students for academic achievement.

Becky Keith, associate professor and director of the physical therapist assistant program, made a presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Educational Leadership Conference in Phoenix. She discussed findings from her multi-year study on how including assessment of reading comprehension, as a component of students' application process for the physical therapist assistant program, positively impacts pass rates on their licensure examinations.

Dr. Manu Bhandari, assistant professor of strategic communication, is lead author of a paper he presented at a symposium conducted by the Southwest Education Council for Journalism & Mass Communication. He and the co-authors, a colleague at another university and an A-State student, earned a top paper award for their work examining how brand feedback, such as a negative online review, impacts other consumers' attitudes toward the featured product.

Dr. Tom Risch, chair, and four faculty members – Dr. Virginie Rolland, Dr. Rich Grippo, Tracy Klotz and Chris Thigpen – from the Department of Biological Sciences accompanied a group of students to the Endangered Wolf Center in St. Louis last week. Members of the Wildlife and Fisheries Club are learning how they can get more involved with educational activities associated with preservation of endangered wolf species, such as red wolves.