KU Recognizes 2024-25 Faculty and Staff Retirees

The University of Kansas congratulates the more than 100 retiring faculty and academic, support and unclassified professional staff affiliated with the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.

At a luncheon during the spring semester, the retirees from the 2025 academic year were individually recognized and thanked by Chancellor Douglas A. Girod and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer.

Roger Rajewski, research professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, won the grand prize of two round-trip tickets to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies. The tickets were donated by the airline through KU Travel Services. Rajewski is pictured above with Girod.

The Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost and KU Endowment host the annual retirement reception. Photos of the honorees and event are available to view.

The following list represents KU employees who, before April, indicated to Human Resources that they would be retiring between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025. The list includes the last place of employment for retirees and their total years of service at KU.

2024-2025 Retirees

• Ruth Allenbrand, associate director, Information Technology, 35 years
• Kathleen Ames-Stratton, director of learning and development, Human Resources, 47 years
• Billie Archer, office manager and executive assistant, Provost's Office, 24 years
• Deanne Arensberg, executive assistant, Chancellor's Office, 16 years
• Theresa Bateson, IT technology coordinator, Information Technology, 44 years
• Brett Bennett, senior research engineer, Kansas Geological Survey, 43 years
• Marcellino Berardo, associate language specialist, Applied English Center, 27 years
• Alan Bignall, senior electrician, Facilities Services, 18 years
• Mark Billquist, firefighter program training coordinator, Kansas Fire & Rescue Training Institute, 8 years
• Julie Bogle, executive assistant, Kansas Geological Survey, 13 years
• Steven Brockway, electronics technician, Facilities Services, 20 years
• Carol Burdsal, director of research development, Office of Research, 5 years
• William Burley, laboratory coordinator, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 6 years
• David Burnham, vertebrate paleontology preparator, Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, 27 years
• Breta Campus, education program coordinator, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, 5 years
• Judith Carta, senior scientist, Juniper Gardens Children's Project in the KU Life Span Institute; and professor, Department of Special Education, 40 years
• Rebecca Clayton, events coordinator, School of Law, 17 years
• Rhonda Cook, administrative associate, Department of Spanish & Portuguese, 32 years
• Richard Cook, electrician, Facilities Services, 24 years
• Duby Cordoba, custodian, Custodial Services, 11 years
• Paul Craig, custodian, Custodial Services, 25 years
• Robert Emerson, senior associate dean and clinical associate professor, School of Pharmacy, 31 years
• Ann Evans, education program coordinator, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 12 years
• Glennon Gagnon, senior research engineer, Kansas Geological Survey, 27 years
• James W. Gergen, IT architect, Information Technology, 28 years
• Debra Graber, associate director for editorial services, KU Marketing, 39 years
• Tanya Griffith, executive assistant, Information Technology, 32 years
• Anna Hagen, education program coordinator, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 15 years
• Jean Hall, director, Research and Training Center on Independent Living and the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies, Life Span Institute, 29 years
• Julie Hamel, assistant director for student programing, TRIO SES & STEM, 13 years
• John Havener, professor, Department of Visual Art, 47 years
• Carolyn Heacock, lecturer and academic program associate, Applied English Center, 39 years
• Richard Huettenmueller, accounting specialist, Finance Shared Service Center, 32 years
• Greg Huneryager, food service worker, KU Dining, 31 years
• Kij Bergdis Johnson, associate professor, Department of English, 14 years
• Michael Jones, landscape supervisor, Facilities Services, 12 years
• Aaron Kaser, skilled trades supervisor, Facilities Services, 33 years
• Vicki Keling, executive assistant, School of Social Welfare, 6 years
• William Kirkham, professor of the practice and program director, Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, 9 years
• Edward Komp, assistant research professor, Institute for Information Sciences, 27 years
• Kathy Lafferty, library coordinator, KU Libraries, 38 years
• Geri Lamer, senior education program coordinator, International Short Programs, 24 years
• Christopher Lathrop, senior IT support technician, Information Technology, 1 year
• Sharon Leatherman, senior administrative associate, University Career Center, 3 years
• Lars Leon, librarian, KU Libraries, 39 years
• Robert Lyon, professor of the practice, Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, 23 years
• Denise Mayse, assistant researcher, Biodiversity Institute, 23 years
• Jennifer Mellenbruch, executive assistant, Edwards Campus, 40 years
• Wallace Meyer, senior associate researcher, Institute for Policy & Social Research, 19 years
• Terry Miller, parking officer, Transportation Services, 9 years
• Cotter Mitchell, art and design lab coordinator, Department of Visual Art, 41 years
• Peg Monsion, administrative assistant, Kansas Geological Survey, 4 years
• Wade Olson, senior general maintenance repair tech, Facilities Services, 29 years
• Mary Perkins, accounting specialist, Finance Shared Service Center, 28 years
• Andy Peterson, general maintenance repair tech, Facilities Services, 23 years
• Valerie Pierce, director, Applied English Center, 6 years
• Shaunna Price, program coordinator, Department of Special Education, 11 years
• Roger Rajewski, research professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, 31 years
• Bradley Rankin, IT analyst, Information Technology, 14 years
• Shannon Royer, senior financial analyst, KU Libraries, 32 years
• Sara Sack, director of Assistive Technology Program and senior scientist, Life Span Institute, 47 years
• Wayne Sailor, director and senior scientist for SWIFT Education Center and professor, Department of Special Education, 38 years
• John Sergent, senior student recruiter, Office of Admissions, 9 years
• Lois Sierra, editor, KU Marketing, 32 years
• Sheila Simmons, research project manager, Life Span Institute, 34 years
• Reta Solwa, senior administrative associate, Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, 33 years
• Debora Stewart, library coordinator, Kansas Geological Survey, 22 years
• Sheila Stice, accounting specialist, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, 36 years
• Corrie Thompson, education program coordinator, Office of Admissions, 33 years
• Sherry Umscheid, IT analyst, Information Technology, 45 years
• John Vassar, senior boiler operator, Facilities Services, 11 years
• Grace Vaughn, administrative associate, Enrollment Management, 18 years
• Lori Wade, assistant vice provost, Edwards Campus, 28 years
• Richard Walker, associate director of BI Reporting/Analysis & Systems Support, Office of Research, 18 years
• Kevin Willmott, professor, Department of Film and Media Studies, 26 years
• Barbara Wrigley, administrative assistant, Legal Aid Clinic, 41 years
• Carla Young, accounting specialist, Finance Shared Service Center, 23 years
• Hannes Zacharias, Robert A. Kipp Professor of the Practice, School of Public Affairs and Administration, 9 years
• Curtis Zook, custodian, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, 10 years