Vernon Keel Founders Award

In 1989, Dr. Vernon Keel joined the faculty of Wichita State University as the founding director of the Elliott School of Communication with a vision to create a ‘seamless, integrated school of communication.’ Dr. Keel also helped to create the Kansas Sunshine Coalition, a group dedicated to freedom of information and open access to government. Appropriately, the coalition is now housed within the Elliott School of Communication. He resigned as director in 1996, but continued to teach full time and do research. The recipient of the Inaugural Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Dr. Keel retired in 2005.

Oliver and Betty Elliott, benefactors of the Elliott School of Communication, recognized the efforts of Dr. Keel by establishing the Vernon Keel Founders Award in 1993. This award rotates on a yearly basis between student scholarships and faculty awards.