 "Photo: Matt Castro")
Carol Shanklin learned about the importance of caring for others at a young age. This seemingly ubiquitous theme has yet to subside. Today, it is stronger than ever.
The dean of the Graduate School credits her caring instinct to educators from her church, school and 4-H group. Those role models helped influence her to become an educator as well.
“They showed what it was like to be caring but giving and challenging so that I was growing as a person as well as learning,” she said. “I think the role models that I had in my early career and then my parents who encouraged us to do the best we could regardless of whether we were in school or 4-H activities, those types of things that influenced wanting to be an educator today.”
College
Shanklin entered the University of Tennessee at Martin, Tenn., to pursue a bachelor’s degree in home economics education. After student teaching in a high school, Shanklin made the decision to enter graduate school at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. A positive experience as a teaching assistant and a good mentor facilitated her interest in furthering her education. While in the midst of her PhD courses, the seeds for her future career were planted.
“I worked with my major professor to learn about accreditation and her role as a program director for dietetics and so that reinforced my desire to combine at some point in my career, combine teaching and administration,” she said.
Teaching
Upon completion of her Ph.D., Shanklin accepted a faculty position at Texas Tech University. At the school, she had the opportunity to mentor several graduate and Ph.D. students. Shanklin’s excitement for mentoring graduate students was building.
She accepted a position at Texas Women’s University where her roles began to increase working with undergraduate and graduate dietetics students.
“I again provided students a variety of learning experiences both in the classroom and in field trips and in practical experiences,” she said. “Again wanting to make sure I was the best in the field I was in.”
During her first few summers before acquiring more graduate students, Shanklin worked in industry to add value to the undergraduate education she was providing. As time progressed, Shanklin began balancing work as an administrator, mentor and graduate teacher. It was then that a revelation occurred and a subsequent opportunity changed her path.
“I knew I couldn’t do a good job in all three,” she said. “So when the colleagues at K-State in 1990 started calling and saying we have a professor position open, and asking if I would apply so I could just focus on graduate education ... I did that and was offered a professor position in the department of hospitality management and dietetics.”
Since accepting the job at K-State, Shanklin’s primary focus has been on graduate education and mentoring. In 2001, she was presented with the opportunity to devoting 20 percent of her time in the graduate school working with Graduate Student Services and the Graduate Student Council. Her administrative roles have been increasing ever since.
Administration
Four years ago, Shanklin was appointed associate dean of the graduate school. Her ascension continued to serving as interim dean until being selected as the dean of the Graduate School in January.
Growth in research and certificate programs has highlighted her time as dean thus far. Certificates like academic advising and personal financial planning have evolved into masters and Ph.D. programs respectively. Shanklin believes the programs can provide a “unique niche” for graduate students.
“That’s an exciting thing because we can address the needs of professionals in the field as well as providing our current graduate students with some unique skill sets that they can document on their transcripts,” she said.
Shanklin has overseen large-scale recruitment efforts that differ from those for undergraduate students. Attending and presenting at national and international conferences, presenting at regional graduate school fairs and honors conferences, a customized graduate brochure and campus visits to targeted universities are just some of the myriad of programs that go into graduate school recruitment.
Demonstrating the importance of research at the graduate-level, the school also sponsors a Summer Undergraduate Research Program. For nine weeks of the summer, 10-15 undergraduate students are brought in from across the country to do research with a faculty mentor. The students live in the residence halls and receive a stipend for their work. Seminars on applying for graduate school are also featured. At the end of the summer, the participants present a research paper. Acclimation is important throughout the process.
“The key thing we are trying to do there is trying to introduce them to K-State,” Shanklin said. “But also letting them know what it’s like to be a graduate student and conduct research under a faculty mentorship within their research team.”
Because the graduate school has no faculty who directly report to Shanklin, the school has dealt with recent budget cuts differently.
“We are going to look at how we are going to transition to use technology more to address the getting the communication going versus having a hard copy of everything going out,” she said.
Eliminating unnecessary travel as part of recruiting is also an item under scrutiny, she said.
Shanklin’s emphasis on program administration also stretches to collaborative efforts with the Graduate Student Council. Professional development seminars and the K-State Research Forum are two of the joint efforts. The working relationship between the Graduate Student Council and Graduate School has been positive according to Kara Dillard, president of the Graduate Student Council and PhD student in sociology.
“Dr. Shanklin is a really amazing advisor,” she said. “The Graduate Student Council has a lot of leeway to do a lot of different things and pursue a lot of agendas. Dr. Shanklin will give her advice on issues, but never preclude us from activity. Dr. Shanklin does a lot of things for graduate students that others wouldn’t. I think she goes far up and behind her job as dean of graduate students.”
In addition to her activity within the Graduate School, Shanklin maintains involvement with the United Methodist Campus Board for the Wesley House. Using her research interests and concern for others, Shanklin is assisting with the kitchen renovations at the new Wesley House, located in the old Delta Tau Delta fraternity chapter house. Nationally, she serves as the chair of the American Dietetic Association’s Education Committee and as a member-at-large of the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools.
The future
Shanklin said she hopes graduates of the graduate school are imparted with critical thinking schools and the ability to utilize technology.
“They need to be a good worker in an interdisciplinary environment,” she said. “Because the problems we solve today are very complex.”
To assist in recruitment efforts, Shanklin said she has set priorities of increasing tuition support and stipends.
Kevin Lease, associate dean of the Graduate School, believes Shanklin’s concern for others and hard work has made an impact on the school.
“She has developed a reputation of being very in-tune with the rules that are required but making sure that we are service oriented and having the students know that we are here to help,” Lease said. “She is also trying to make the graduate student body and the graduate school more visible and part of the university structure to ensure they have a voice on campus.”
of K-State and began by acknowledging the hard work of the state’s elected officials. Schulz said Kansas has been blessed with a strong and dedicated congressional delegation in both the Senate and House of Representatives. He said it was obvious because three of the six members of the congress were on hand to celebrate the announcement.
“We have these kinds of successes because people are willing to put personal agendas aside and work toward the betterment of the state of Kansas,” Schulz said.
He also said it was “great” to speak during an announcement of this magnitude, and quipped that he looked forward to another big announcement Saturday when the Wildcats beat the University of Kansas.
The applause following Schulz’s remark highlighted the tone of the crowd in attendance. There were several of smiles of excitement as each speaker took to the podium.
Tom Thornton, president of Kansas Bioscience Authority, spoke about the grander scale of having ABADRL relocate to Manhattan.
“It’s hard not to be excited about this,” Thornton said. “This is another large federal project in Kansas. This research may be about small things, but it’s a big deal and this is a state that gets this kind of research.”
Because Kansas offers access to talent and facilities, Thornton said the ABADRL will have much to gain in terms of increasing productivity.
“As Kansas takes a look at growing it’s bio-sciences, this sort of local, state, federal and industrial partnership is an absolute key asset in almost everything we do,” Thornton said.
He added that NBAF and ABADRL are just “the tip of a very big iceberg,” and said he looks forward to working with all the agencies involved.
Speaking on behalf of the city, Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Snead stood in for Mayor Bob Strawn and extended a hand of welcome to ABADRL and any members that decide to relocate to Manhattan. Snead said the city is blessed to have experienced such positive growth over the last year, and will have much to offer to people who wish to relocate.
“Manhattan, Kansas, is a great place to live, work and play,” Snead said, welcoming any who plan to relocate to Manhattan. “I’ve been here since 1976 and there are so many good things happening to this community, and what you bring to it will just add to that.”
Wrapping up the remarks was Will Blackburn, United States Department of Agriculture, area director of the Northern Plains. He said many parties worked together and outlined a vision of what ABADRL would be in Manhattan. ABADRL realized about four years ago their facility in Laramie would not sustain their research in the future, Blackburn said as he noted the cooperative stance Manhattan took to bring the lab to the city.
Blackburn said he appreciated the strong working relationships the U.S. Department of Agriculture has with K-State and said he looks forward to strengthening that relationship. While speaking, Blackburn took the time to introduce all of the staff from the ABADRL lab who were in attendance at the press conference.
“You can’t help but get excited about the potential that we have coming in here and joining this and hopefully being a part of this animal health potential that is developing here in Manhattan,” Blackburn said. “The reason we are here is because of the animal containment facility, the Bio-Security Research Institute up at the university and the potential that offers to our folks to be a part of the animal health opportunities.”
Irma G. Gutierrez, RD,LD
Texas Dietetic Assoc Past President