Patterson was recognized for her leadership on and off the court at a ceremony April 17. Patterson was chosen to receive this year's Outstanding Leadership Award on the basis of her leadership and service to K-State and the Manhattan community. Leadership is a process and is not defined simply by position or authority.
Collaboration is the primary method of teaching and developing leadership.
Successful leaders are committed to and have the ability to engage in leadership with those of other backgrounds and cultures. Patterson has received several individual honors since her arrival at K-State in 1996. She has been selected as the 1997 Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year. In the community, she is a member of the advisory committee for the Coronado Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. The award not only recognizes outstanding contributors to society but provides an opportunity for K-State students to meet and interact with positive role models.