General

Join us for Purple Pride Worldwide Homecoming 2017

Kansas State University is proud to have alumni and friends all across the globe, who help spread purple pride wherever they may live.   ... In October, the university invites those alumni and friends to return to campus for Homecoming 2017. This year’s theme is “Purple Pride Worldwide,” celebrating the diverse group of Wildcats who make up the K-State family.   K-State’s 102nd Homecoming celebration will take place Oct. 15-21. Homecoming is a universitywide celebration coordinated by the K-State Alumni Association and sponsored by AT&T.   “For more than a century, our Wildcat community has celebrated this wonderful tradition,” said Marcus Kidd ’14, ’16, assistant director of student programs for the Alumni Association. “We look forward to K-State fans of all ages joining us for a spirit-filled Homecoming week celebrating the K-State family, which spreads across the country and worldwide.”   All Homecoming events are open to the public. For the most updated information, visit www.K-State.com/Homecoming. The schedule of events is as follows (all events and times are subject to change):   Sunday, Oct. 15 10 a.m. Homecoming Philanthropy 5K Run/Walk, K-State Alumni Center: Students, alumni and community members may run or walk through campus in the 14th annual Homecoming 5K Run/Walk, which benefits the Cats’ Cupboard, the K-State Food Pantry. Registration due by noon Oct. 13; learn more.   Noon to 2 p.m. Student Organization Spirit Signs, throughout campus, and Sidewalk Chalking Contest, Bosco Student Plaza. Additionally, Spirit Signs from student organizations will be placed on display at the K-State Student Union.   4 p.m. Crazy Cat Scavenger Hunt, campuswide: The Scavenger Hunt is sponsored by the K-State Association of Residence Halls.   8 p.m. Pant the Chant, Bramlage Coliseum: Homecoming pairings perform original spirit cheers.   Also: Coloring contest winners (grades K-6) will be displayed at Manhattan Town Center all week.   Tuesday, Oct. 17 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Paint the ’Ville, Aggieville: Check out the Aggieville windows being painted by campus organizations and Homecoming pairings.   8 p.m. Wildcat Request Live, Bramlage Coliseum: This lip sync and dance competition showcases fraternity and sorority Homecoming pairings.   Thursday, Oct. 19 6-8 p.m. Children’s Carnival, K-State Student Union: Open to Manhattan and surrounding communities.   Friday, Oct. 20 3-5:30 p.m. Trick-or-Treat in Aggieville.   5 p.m. Homecoming Parade: The parade route begins at Manhattan Town Center and will run along Poyntz Avenue from Third Street to 11th Street, then heads north along 11th until reaching Moro Street before snaking back south along Manhattan Avenue and concluding in City Park. Larry Moeder ’77, ’80, will serve as the grand marshal. He is the associate vice president of student life and executive director of undergraduate admissions and student financial assistance at K-State.    6:30 p.m. Homecoming Pep Rally, Larry Norvell Band Shell, City Park (following the parade).   Saturday, Oct. 21 K-State vs. Oklahoma Homecoming football game. Time TBD. Visit www.kstatesports.com for updated game times.   A pregame celebration will begin two hours prior to kickoff in Cat Town, which is located on the south side of the west parking lot at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Cost to attend is $20 per adult and $15 per child (4-17 years old). Reservations for the pregame are required; they are due by Oct. 12.   The winning Spirit Signs will be displayed at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. During halftime the new Student Ambassadors will be announced, and the Homecoming Committee members will be recognized.

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President Myers celebrates K-State’s land-grant mission in annual State of the University Address

What does it mean to have a “land-grant mission?” Kansas State University President Richard Myers ’65 reflected on K-State’s proud land-grant heritage during his annual State of the University Address o... n Sept. 29 at the K-State Student Union, both celebrating the past and looking ahead to the future.   K-State was one of the nation’s first land-grant universities, designed as an engine to drive economic development and improve quality of life, Myers said.   “It empowers us to provide great value to our students, our state, our nation and, for that matter, the world,” he said. “We’re committed to providing all students a quality education that allows them, when they graduate, to participate in a vibrant democracy, providing talent to our country and the world.”   The university was built on three important standards: teaching, research and service. K-State’s quality faculty, innovative programs and celebration of diversity all combine to help students achieve success in the classroom and beyond.   Research at K-State fosters collaboration between disciplines at the university, as well as with outside corporations and industry. K-State continues its efforts to become a top 50 public research university by 2025, making an impact on a national and global level. However, this research also has a direct impact on students at the university, who benefit from the groundbreaking research taking place at K-State.   “Professors bring what they found in research into the classroom,” Myers said.   Finally, K-State remains committed to the value of service, developing tomorrow’s leaders and making the world a better place.   Myers shared that 94 percent of recent graduates are employed or pursuing advanced degrees, and the university continues to improve graduation and retention rates, with an increasing number of doctorates awarded.   He encouraged alumni and friends to help spread the message about the value of a K-State education and also celebrated the ways K-Staters have already given back. The Innovation and Inspiration Campaign surpassed its $1 billion goal ahead of schedule, and a new goal has been set: $1.4 billion by 2020. Innovation and Inspiration dollars help the university continue to grow and make sure a K-State degree remains affordable and accessible.   “We’re uniquely positioned to improve the quality of life throughout this state,” he said. “Our graduates are leaving a legacy that spans generations. We are a great value.”   Watch President Myers’ full State of the University Address.

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Community invited to tour Student Union, College of Architecture renovations

E Kansas State University alumni and friends are invited to two open houses on campus in October, celebrating renovations to the K-State Student Union and College of Ar... chitecture, Planning and Design.   The Student Union dedication will take place at 1 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Union Courtyard, featuring a balloon drop and prizes, art gallery exhibit, building tours and more. The dedication event for the College of Architecture Seaton Hall/Regnier Hall renovation and expansion project will take place at 2 p.m. Oct. 13, followed by tours and refreshments.   The K-State Student Union has long been a favorite spot on campus for students to gather, whether it’s meeting a group of friends, grabbing a quick bite to eat between classes, or finding a quiet spot to study. The Union was originally built in 1956 and underwent a major renovation beginning in September 2015. The redesign has added new student offices, lounges, restaurants and meeting spaces. The former food court has been replaced by several new restaurants, including a Call Hall ice cream shop. Take a sneak peek at the union renovations below. (Photos by Ashley Pauls, K-State Alumni Association)     If you stop by the K-State Student Union, don’t forget to snap a photo with the Willie the Wildcat statue!   Renovated lounge spaces offer plenty of room in the Union for students to study or chat with friends.    K-State Alumni Association members receive a 10 percent discount on apparel and gift items at the K-State Campus Store in the Union, as well as the location on the Polytechnic campus. Learn more.    Grab a scoop of K-State’s famous Call Hall ice cream at the new ice cream shop in the Student Union.    The College of Architecture, Planning and Design has renovated and expanded the Seaton Hall complex, renovating 85,000 square feet and adding 110,000 square feet of new construction — a space that includes the original 1909 Seaton Hall and 1875 Mechanics Hall, now part of the Regnier Hall. The renovation preserves some of the historical aspects of the old facilities while also adding updated design details to help the college provide the best possible education for its students.   Read more about the Oct. 13 Seaton Hall dedication in the @K-State College of Architecture section.

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Iman Awards honor two K-State faculty for research and teaching

For more than a decade, the K-State Alumni Association’s Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards have honored distinguished members of Kansas State University’s faculty — those who go above and ... beyond in the fields of research and teaching.   At the 2017 ceremony on Sept. 27, Charles W. Rice, Ph.D., university distinguished professor of agronomy and recipient of the Mary L. Vanier University Professorship, received the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research. The recipient of the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching was Jeffrey S. Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of geography.   Rice and Smith each received $5,000 awards in recognition of their outstanding research and teaching. Introduced in 2007, the annual Iman Awards are sponsored by the K-State Alumni Association and are made possible through the generosity of Ron ’62, ’70, ’73 and Rae Iman.   “K-State truly benefits from the accomplishments of Dr. Rice and Dr. Smith,” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. “Through their hard work and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge, these professors have elevated K-State’s reputation worldwide and enriched the education of our students. The Alumni Association would like to thank Ron and Rae Iman for their generous commitment to make these awards possible, so that we can continue to honor the exemplary work of our professors.”   Charles W. Rice, Ph.D. The Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research recognizes faculty members who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession and who have contributed significantly through research to improve the educational experience, or whose research has had a significant impact on their area of study.   Rice teaches courses and conducts research on soil carbon and nitrogen, microbial ecology and climate change impacts on agriculture. He has advised more than 40 graduate students and 10 post-doctorates and has over 200 publications. Internationally, he served on the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to author a report on climate change in 2007 and 2014, and was among scientists recognized when that work won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.   His nominator, John Floros, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension, said, “Dr. Rice’s achievements in research have followed from an amazing degree of success in obtaining extramural funds from several agencies, including national and international organizations and industry. Over the course of his entire career, Dr. Rice has been associated with over $44 million in grants from highly competitive programs. Chuck has led all other individual scientists in academic departments in the College of Agriculture over the past five years with awards totaling over $6.5 million.”   Rice thanked the grad students and post docs who work with him for their help and credited them for his success.   “The research and work by the students is so important,” he said. “I’m taking these funds and giving them back to the program because the research is so important.”   Jeffrey S. Smith, Ph.D. The Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching honors a full-time K-State faculty member for excellence in high-quality instruction, strong relationships with students inside and outside the classroom and a reputation for scholarship and distinguished service to the university.   In the 19 years Smith has been at K-State, he has taught more than 9,000 students in classes such as World Geography, Geography of Kansas, Geography of Mexico and Central America, as well as various graduate-level seminars. His research focuses on analyzing the built environment, place attachment among culture groups and cultural change. His research has appeared in multiple book chapters, encyclopedia entries and scholarly journals. In January 2018, his book on the typology of places to which people become emotionally attached is expected to reach print.   His nominator, Charles W. Martin, professor of geography and head of the Department of Geography, said, “The personal connection that he forges with students is increasingly rare in a large research university. Students enjoy access to Jeff in and outside the classroom, and consistently rank his classes as among the best they have taken at K-State.”   Smith thanked the Imans for supporting the award.    “I’m so impressed with the Imans for recognizing both teaching and research sides of the profession,” he said.    About the Imans Ron and Rae Iman are life members of the K-State Alumni Association and serve as Kansas State University Foundation trustees. Ron is a past member of the Association’s board of directors, served as the Association’s representative to the KSU Research Foundation board and is a past chair of the Arts and Sciences Advisory Council. He received the university’s Arts and Sciences Distinguished Service Award in 1996 and, in 1994, served as national president of the American Statistical Association. He was named a Highly Cited Researcher by the Institute for Scientific Information in 2004. The Imans live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.   For more information on the Iman Awards, visit www.K-State.com/Iman.

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K-State adds purple to campaign to recruit more teachers to profession

Teachers make an impact that often lasts far longer than the time students spend in their classroom. Good teachers set students on a path of lifelong learning and success, inspiring them to reach their ... full potential.   Kansas needs even more potential educators to join the profession to ensure student success in classrooms across the state, and Kansas State University is playing a key role in recruiting more future teachers to address shortages and vacancies.   The state’s Blue Ribbon Task Force — made up of Kansas educators, higher education representatives and Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) staff members — has been studying these issues and developing recommendations for addressing the teacher vacancies and the decreasing professional pipeline.   As part of the Blue Ribbon Task Force efforts, K-State’s College of Education is promoting a statewide campaign designed to raise awareness about the need for teachers. Alumni and friends can also play a role in this campaign.   The statewide KSDE “Educate Kansas” campaign is designed to attract more people to the teaching profession. The concept was born out of the Professional Standards Board, of which K-State’s College of Education Dean Debbie Mercer ’84, ’88, ’96, ’99 serves as chair. The campaign’s website, EducateKansas.org, details the many pathways to teaching, and each higher education institution in Kansas has a link to their websites.   Mercer said this campaign is about websites but mostly it’s about insights.   “The very best advocates we have for the profession are the teachers today who are inspiring students in classrooms every single day,” Mercer said. “We need teachers at all levels identifying students who would be great teachers to ask them if they’ve thought of being a teacher and plant that seed. I’m calling on all K-Staters to help make this campaign a success.”   Mercer suggested posting photos on a personal or school’s Facebook and Twitter accounts using the hashtag #Force4GoodKS. She is encouraging all educators to participate.   “If a student has decided to major in education, please snap a picture with them and add it to the campaign,” she said. “If you have a colleague who is doing great things in their classroom, snap a picture of them and include them in the campaign. This is an opportunity for us to tell our stories about what a profoundly important profession teaching is.”   Although students can enter the teaching profession after a traditional undergraduate teaching education at K-State, the university also offers assistance to career changes with a passion for education who’d like to get into the field.   Steven Thomas ’17 recently completed the college’s Master of Arts in Teaching, or M.A.T., a one-year, online master’s program for career changers. He explained in a video that he left behind a successful career in retail to get to where he always knew he should have been: the classroom.    “Teaching is more than a job, it’s a career that has meaning,” Thomas said. “It’s a way to give back, and it’s a way to make the world the better place.”   Learn more about what K-State’s College of Education has to offer, and help spread the word about the good teachers are accomplishing in the state.   “Teaching is a great profession and, while it isn’t without its challenges, the rewards are unparalleled,” said Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson ’81, ’84, ’90. “We are committed to placing a highly qualified teacher in every Kansas classroom. If you have the passion, the knowledge and the desire to protect and changes lives, we have a place for you.”   — Reporting by Patrice Scott, K-State College of Education communications coordinator; with contributions from Ashley Pauls, K-State Alumni Association

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Priscilla Gary-Sweeney inducted into Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

Former Kansas State University women’s basketball star Priscilla Gary-Sweeney has been inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, as a part of the 56th anniversary class of 2017. The 2017 induction c... eremony took place Oct. 1 at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in the Wichita Boathouse.   Gary-Sweeney, a two-time letter winner for the Wildcats from 1981-83, became the first K-State women’s basketball All-American in program history at the conclusion of the 1982-83 season. She led the program in scoring during her two seasons in Manhattan, Kansas, and tallied 1,169 career points to currently rank 25th on the K-State career scoring list. She holds the K-State career record for scoring average at 18.3 points per game and ranks third in career field goal percentage (.558) and 33rd in career assists with 172.   She was a two-time All-Big Eight First-Team selection, while guiding the program to a pair of Big Eight Conference titles and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first trip to the Elite Eight in 1982.   In 1998, Gary-Sweeney was the first K-State women’s basketball player inducted into the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame and in 2009 her number 10 was retired along with former teammate Tammie Romstad’s number 33. The program’s hustle award, given each year at the team’s postseason banquet, is named in her honor.   “This has been one of the most memorable times in my life,” Gary-Sweeney said during her jersey retirement ceremony. “It’s been an honor to play for K-State. I will never, ever forget the people that made it here or came out to support us back then.”   Gary-Sweeney is joined in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame induction class of 2017 by former Kansas City Royals great George Brett; former women’s track All-American at Kansas, Kristi Kloster Burritt; Wichita Heights High School basketball coach and Wichita area tennis coach Charles Doughty; three-sport star at Kansas, Galen Fiss; 1954 Kansas cross country national champion Al Frame; college football coaching legend Dennis Franchione; Olympic gold medalist Dean Kelley; former professional and college football coach John Levra; two-sport athlete at Wichita State and former Major League Baseball player Don Lock; Barton and Cloud community colleges women’s basketball coach Jerry McCarty; Kansas basketball player and former president of the Kansas Golf Association Gerald Waugh; and former Wichita State baseball All-American Eric Wedge. Doughty, Fiss and Kelley will be honored posthumously.   The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame now includes 46 representatives with ties to K-State and the 2017 induction class of 13 raises the total of inductees in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame to 273. Learn more about the members of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

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2017 Alumni Association holiday ornament features Alma Mater

The K-State Alumni Association’s annual holiday ornament is now available for purchase. This year’s theme is the K-State Alma Mater and features the lyrics to the song honoring the spot alumni and friends “love full well.” ...   The ornament is $25 for Alumni Association members, and $30 for nonmembers. Past ornaments — including the 2016 design featuring the K-State Marching Band and the 2015 design featuring a Powercat wreath — also are available. Complete an order form online.   Learn more about the benefits of becoming a member of the K-State Alumni Association, which include the holiday ornament discount, K-State Campus Store discount and more.

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Don’t forget to join us for the Alumni Center 15th Anniversary Showcase! 

Explore artifacts from Kansas State University’s rich history, take family portraits by the K-State Alumni Center’s famous Wildcat Statue, enter a drawing for exclusive prizes, and much more at the K-St... ate Alumni Association’s special showcase Oct. 12 celebrating the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Alumni Center.   This free, family-friendly event will take place from 3-7 p.m. and provides an opportunity for the Alumni Association to thank alumni and friends for their support. It also gives the community a chance to learn more about the many programs and services offered by the Alumni Association, while enjoying food and wine samples and prize drawings.   The showcase will feature interactive booths from Alumni Association departments and some of the Alumni Center’s caterers and vendors. Attendees can learn more about the benefits of Alumni Association membership, how to join an Alumni Club, the Association’s scholarships for students and more. In addition, Greg Hardin, author of When I grow up, I want to be a K-State Wildcat, will host a book signing, and Mano’s Inc. will offer a wine tasting. Music will be provided by Complete Music DJ service.   Guests will be able to get a ticket at every booth they visit to enter prize drawings. The grand prize will be an Alumni Center first floor rental package (some restrictions may apply). Other prizes include K-State gear, football and basketball tickets, framed K-State prints, local gift cards and more.   Other activities include:   • Snap photos with Willie the Wildcat • Enjoy free food samples • Participate in kids activities • View K-State artifacts in the Memorabilia Room • Try out the Alumni Association’s new kiosks (pictured at left), which feature information on our awards, history, new interactive building maps and more  • Take family portraits by the Wildcat Statue   Free parking for this event will be available on the west side of the building. Those unable to attend the event Thursday, Oct. 12, are invited to stop by the Alumni Center on Saturday, Oct. 14, for cookies and beverages before the football game. Visitors also are encouraged to view the Alumni Center’s new stained glass mural, A Spot I Love Full Well.    The K-State Alumni Center opened next to K-State’s World War I Memorial Stadium in 2002, after a successful fundraising campaign. The center provides a home for the Alumni Association and also offers rental space for weddings, meetings, graduation parties, anniversaries, reunions and more.

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Foundation news: Alumnus donates sustainability research farm; K-State couple creates scholarship

Harold Lonsinger ’56, Alton, Kansas, has given a gift of land to the Kansas State University Foundation to establish the Harold and Olympia Lonsinger Sustainability Research Farm. ...   Lonsinger gave 2,300 acres of Osborne County, Kansas, farmland to K-State, to develop a research farm focusing on sustainable agricultural practices and soil conservation, reclamation and protection.   “I was given this land for a purpose,” Lonsinger said. “I think the research Kansas State University will conduct and the knowledge they will gain will help protect and preserve our precious natural resources. That seems to be the purpose.”   Lonsinger has stressed that his goal of donating the land is to learn how to best restore the soil to its historic quality.   “Among our many agricultural experiment stations, Harold’s gift of more than 2,000 acres of quality Kansas farm- and grassland will become a hallmark of sustainable farming research at K-State,” said John Floros, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. “Much of the Lonsinger land is contiguous and will allow investigators to discover how historical and innovative farming practices impact larger tracts of soil over time. The research we will be able to conduct will have application for Kansas farmers and for producers worldwide.”   Read more   Returning the favor: K-State couple creates scholarship, remembering their own financial need as students “When I wrote that check for tuition out of my meager checking account, I remember wondering whether I was doing the right thing,” said Fred Stiers ’74. “K-State, in its size and environment, seemed as foreign to me as if I had gone to another country, but if I was going to college I wanted the effort to lead to something significant.”   Since that frugal first semester 43 years ago, Fred Stiers can still recall the financial hurdles he faced early in his college career. His own experiences inspired him and his wife, Esther, to return the favor by creating a scholarship for students enrolled in the College of Engineering.   “We decided we wanted to help young engineering students who had already chosen K-State to get their degree and needed financial help in their sophomore through senior years, just as I did,” Stiers said. “We hope this assistance produces some notable engineers who otherwise might not have made it.”   Read more

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