Carol Gould is returning to K-State this fall after a three-year absence, but this time with a different title. She will serve as the new executive coordinator of the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance, also known as Great Plains IDEA.

Virginia Moxley, dean of the College of Human Ecology and founder of the Great Plains IDEA, said Gould is perfect for the position because she has knowledge of higher education and a strong work ethic.

"She has come in, and the transition has been seamless," Moxley, also a co-director of the Institute for Academic Alliances, said.

Great Plains IDEA is a consortium of 11 universities that works to develop and grow new and existing higher and distance education programs, she said.

"Faculty has the idea; the administrator wants to see it work, and Carol will make it happen," she said.

After receiving her master's degree from K-State and then serving as a research assistant from 1976-79, Gould worked for the university from 1987-2005 as director of the Community Service Program and also the Kansas Center for Rural Initiatives.

She said returning to work at K-State feels like coming home. But Gould also said she is ready to get serious about her new position and has plans for the Great Plains IDEA.

"Distance education wasn't around when I was getting my master's," she said. "But if it had been, I definitely would've pursued it. I was a parent of small children; it would've been wonderful."

Gould said distance classes are a new way of delivering education that makes it possible for people to achieve what they want, particularly non-traditional students who have more demands in their lives, and students in rural areas who might not be able to move or travel.

Gould said along with promoting distance education for graduate and undergraduate students, she would like to see more students and faculty get involved in higher and distance education at K-State.

"That's what it's going to be all about, reaching out," she said. "There is plenty of room for expansion."

To spread her ideas, Gould said she is turning to the Internet to advertise Great Plains IDEA, with YouTube.com videos and an official Web site, Gpidea.org.

Sue Maes, dean of the Division of Continuing Education and co-director of the Institute for Academic Alliances, said one of Gould's biggest projects this year with Great Plains IDEA will be to transition the power from a strictly human ecology board to a broader alliance among more groups of education, like agriculture.

"Carol has brought lots of ideas to attention on how we can unify the groups more," Maes said. "This is a big goal, one that we'll all be working on."

Maes said she has known Gould for about 20 years through working together at the Kansas Center for Rural Initiative.

"She has great initiative, an even personality to deal with different people on the board and enthusiasm for new ideas," Maes said.

As for Gould, she said she's enjoyed re-connecting with colleagues at K-State.

"It's refreshing to be back," she said. "And it's been so fun to hear from people who are interested and old friends."

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