ALUMNI, HOMEPAGE NEWS
Read about Jayhawks who are lending a hand to those in need.
A volunteer army joins COVID-19 battle
As William McNulty helped care for survivors of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, an insight guided him to co-found Team Rubicon: Military veterans—trained in crisis management, experienced at responding calmly under pressure and passionate about service—are ideally suited to fill a gap in disaster-relief efforts around the globe.
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Ten years later, with more than 100,000 volunteers in five countries (and with four countries working to launch teams), Team Rubicon faces a global health crisis that calls for different tactics. How does a group known for putting armies of volunteers on the ground contribute to a pandemic response that counts lockdowns and social distancing among its most effective tactics?
Camila Ordóñez Vargas launches campaign to support Colombian community during the pandemic
When Camila Ordóñez Vargas, a political science and economics double-major, traveled to spend spring break with her family in her home country of Colombia, she never imagined that she would be unable to return to finish her junior year in Lawrence. Now facing this unexpected new reality, she’s finding ways to help alleviate the impact of the crisis in Colombia as the country grapples with social and economic uncertainties.
KU alumnus makes Jayhawk masks that give back
If you’re looking to mask your Jayhawk pride, John Killen is your guy.
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Killen, j’85, is president & CEO of WinCraft, a manufacturer of licensed and promotional products for over 500 colleges and professional sports teams. As COVID-19 continued to spread, the company began to look at how they could help.
2020 KUEC biotechnology grad gets hands-on experience assisting with COVID-19 testing
It’s not unusual for college students to balance their classroom education with real-life learning experience in the workplace, either through a full-time job or an internship. For 23-year-old biotechnology senior Justin Carroll, however, the experience has taken on a different sense of importance in the last few months. For the last four years, Carroll has worked for clinical laboratory company Quest Diagnostics, first in specimen processing and later as a laboratory assistant. Since the Novel Coronavirus outbreak, Carroll has been helping process COVID-19 tests.
KU School of Medicine-Wichita graduate earns Global Scholar honor for work near and far
For Chandra Swanson, M.D., who’ll soon begin her pediatrics residency at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, the effort and experiences she put into earning Global Scholar Distinction helped focus her vision of the work she’ll do as a doctor.

Camila Ordóñez Vargas launches campaign to support Colombian community during the pandemic
When Camila Ordóñez Vargas, a political science and economics double-major, traveled to spend spring break with her family in her home country of Colombia, she never imagined that she would be unable to return to finish her junior year in Lawrence. Now facing this unexpected new reality, she’s finding ways to help alleviate the impact of the crisis in Colombia as the country grapples with social and economic uncertainties.