Governor appoints three to serve on Kansas Board of Regents, including member of KU Endowment board

photo by: Contributed Photos

Pictured from left to right are newly appointed Regents Diana Mendoza, John B. Dicus and Blake Benson.

A University of Kansas alumnus and trustee of the KU Endowment Association is one of three new members appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents by Gov. Laura Kelly on Tuesday.

John B. Dicus — chairman, CEO and president of Topeka-based Capitol Federal Savings — is among the appointees, along with Blake Benson, president of the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, and Diana Mendoza, an administrator with Dodge City Public Schools.

Dicus received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from KU and currently serves as an executive committee trustee for the KU Endowment Association.

The Kansas Board of Regents oversees the state’s public higher education system, including KU, Kansas State, Wichita State, Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State and the system of community colleges that operate in Kansas.

Benson has worked with higher education officials in Pittsburg for the last 16 years, according to a release from the governor. Mendoza has been in public education for more than 20 years, according to the release, and currently is the director of English to Speakers of Other Languages and Diversity for Dodge City Public Schools.

The new Regents can begin serving immediately but will be subject to approval by the Kansas Legislature when it returns next year.

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