INTRO PLAYERS COACHES OPPONENTS REVIEW RECORDS STAFF HISTORY Page 121 President Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian Dr. Robert Vartabedian began his tenure at MWSU on July 1, 2008. Since coming to Missouri Western, he has overseen the construction of Remington Hall that was completed in December 2009, and the renovation of Agenstein Hall, completed in December 2010. He has taken on a campus outdoor project, including three new pond fountains, building signs, benches and a new entrance sign. Dr. Vartabedian was also one of the campus team members to secure the Kansas City Chiefs training camp at MWSU, beginning in the summer of 2010. That project included the construction of a new Griffon Indoor Sports Complex. Missouri Western also opened a new Spring Sports Complex in the spring of 2011 and a new residence hall in the fall of 2011. Dr. Vartabedian has also guided a resurgence of the arts programs. In 2009, he and his wife resurrected the Madrigal Feasts of the 1980s with the annual Lights and Tights Renaissance Feast. The Vartabedians have also been instrumental in creating the Missouri Western Arts Society, a giving society that raises funds for the arts programs. This fall, Missouri Western will open a Walter Cronkite Memorial in Spratt Hall Atrium. Prior to joining Missouri Western, Dr. Vartabedian served as vice president for academic affairs at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) in Portales, N.M. In that role, he was chief academic officer for a university with a total enrollment of about 9,500. He oversaw re-accreditation efforts in six departments. The university’s 2007 evaluation by the Higher Learning Commission/ North Central Association was accepted without any deficiencies and was showcased as a model application. Dr. Vartabedian graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts in speech communication from California State University, Fresno, in 1974. He received a master of arts in speech communication from Wichita State University, and a doctorate in communication from the University of Oklahoma. Athletics Director Kurt McGuffin Kurt McGuffin became the seventh Director of Athletics at Missouri Western and began his duties on October 31, 2011. McGuffin came to Missouri Western from the University of Colorado where he was the assistant athletic director/director of athletics development since 2010. The University had one of the most successful athletics season in its history in 2012-13, with conference championships and record-breaking seasons in football and baseball. McGuffin, along with the department of health, physical education and recreation, has also developed a master’s in sport and fitness management. The program has allowed the Missouri Western Athletics Department to bring on close to 15 graduate assistants to help with various programs. At Colorado, McGuffin created and implemented a new annual giving program which increased total giving by 15 percent and added more than 600 members in the first year. He assisted with fundraising and development of a new $15 million court sport practice facility. Prior to his time at Colorado, McGuffin served 10 years in the Kansas State University athletic department. From 2008-2010, he served as senior associate athletic director for external operations. He was the administrator for men’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field/cross country and men’s and women’s golf. He oversaw all external operations in the department, including development, ticketing, marketing and communication offices. The department completed more than $25 million in facility enhancements. McGuffin had a role in drawing more fans to Kansas State sporting events. He led marketing campaigns that generated the biggest football opening day crowd in Kansas State’s history and led the sales group that sold out men’s basketball games three out of four years. During his tenure, Kansas State women’s basketball and volleyball were in the top 10 nationally for attendance. Previously at Kansas State, McGuffin served as associate director of athletics for development from 2005-2008. In that role, he directed the efforts of six fundraisers and four staff members to raise more than $12 million annually. He also oversaw the ticket office, which generated more than $16 million in revenue. McGuffin successfully completed the $90 million athletics department piece of the $500 million “Changing Lives” university-wide capital campaign, and oversaw a $6.5 million growth in the endowment for athletics. Also at Kansas State, McGuffin served as assistant director of athletics for annual giving and assistant director of athletic development. He also served as assistant director of athletics for development at the University of Idaho-Moscow in 1999 and 2000, and as a graduate assistant for fundraising at Wichita State University, director of men’s basketball operations at Eastern Washington Universityand head men’s basketball student assistant at Kansas State. McGuffin received his bachelor of science in education from Kansas State in 1996 and his master of science in education from Wichita State in 1999. McGuffin and wife Jessica reside in St. Joseph with their three children; Bryce, Brett and Brea. MICHAEL HILL, D2FOOTBALL.COM OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missouri Western Football Media Guide 2013
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