Three
Washburn University employees who have retired or who will be retiring at the
end of the spring semester were honored with emeritus status during the staff
and faculty awards event on April 17. Receiving the designation were: Raylene
Hinz-Penner, lecturer, English; Ursula Jander, associate professor, biology;
and Richard Moellenberdt, assistant professor, accounting, School of Business
Hinz-Penner began her teaching career at Washburn in 2003 as a three-quarter
time lecturer in English and was hired as full time in 2004. She has gone well
beyond the typical lecturer role, serving as composition director and standing
in for faculty in the teaching of American literature, poetry writing, and a
reading as writers course for writing emphasis majors. In addition to teaching
at Washburn, she taught English at Bethel College for 18 years, beginning as
instructor, ending as tenured associate professor. Hinz-Penner was an exchange
professor of English one year at Sichuan Normal University in Chengdu, Sichuan
Province, China, and taught volunteer courses for Arts in Prison at Lansing
Correctional Facility and Prison Arts Project at the Hutchinson Correctional
Facility. She is a well-loved and highly-respected professor, with fine
teaching evaluations and genuine student loyalty.
Jander began her teaching career at Washburn in 1984 as an adjunct assistant
professor of biology, became a full time assistant professor in 1985, received
tenure and promotion to associate professor in 1994, and served as interim
chair in 2008. During her 28 years at Washburn, she taught at least 14
different courses covering a variety of biology sub-disciplines in both majors
and service courses and has always been a popular professor due to her
enthusiasm for whatever subject matter being taught. Long before the inception
of the Washburn Transformational Experience program, biology majors have been
required to complete research with a faculty member prior to graduation. Jander
has mentored her fair share of biology students and they have all benefited
tremendously from their experience with her expertise with some presenting at
Apeiron and other regional meetings. In 2002, she received the A. Roy Meyers
Excellence in Research Award, remains very active in research, and plans to
continue in retirement with her study of the praying mantis. She also was the
Biology Club mentor, served on many committees over the years, was involved in
many program reviews and revisions of laboratory manuals, and has given
presentations to a variety of groups within the community, including elementary
school aged children. In addition, she will was the keynote speaker at the 10th
Annual Induction Ceremony of the Pi Gamma Chapter of Tri-Beta, the National
Biology Honor Society, on March 8, 2012.
Moellenberndt began his teaching career at Washburn in 1976 as assistant
professor of accounting in the School of Business. He received tenure and
promotion to associate professor in 1978, with promotion to professor in 1983.
In addition to teaching at Washburn, he was assistant professor at Wichita
State University and an instructor at the University of Nebraska. He has given
35 years of dedicated service to Washburn serving on a variety of school and
university committees and authoring numerous scholarly and professional
articles. He also led the initiative to establish the Beta Alpha Psi chapter in
the School of Business.
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Amanda Hughes, (785) 670-2153
