If you’ve witnessed a K-State gameday from inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, you know there’s nothing quite like that experience. 

The roar of fans cheering in the stands. The band playing the K-State Fight Song and thousands of people singing along. The feeling you get when you look across the stadium at the sea of purple surrounding you.

K-State football begins a new era this fall, under head coach Chris Klieman. His personal catchphrase, “win the dang day,” has already caught on, and you’ll likely see it popping up on plenty of T-shirts at gamedays.

As the countdown begins to the opening game of the season — Aug. 31 vs. Nicholls — we’re already getting excited. Here’s some tips you can use to make the most of your gameday experience this fall:

Pat Bosco ’71, ’73 isn’t letting retirement stop him from giving back to the K-State community. 

The former vice president of student life and dean of students is sharing his words of wisdom through his new podcast, Boscology 101. 

Each episode will cover an aspect of how to improve your interactions at home, school or in the workplace — anywhere you want to leave a positive, lasting contribution. Current episodes include “The Power of Listening,” “Thank Your Heroes” and “Defining Success.”

Watch for new Boscology 101 episodes and share them online using the hashtag #boscology. Listen on iTunes and other podcast apps or by visiting boscology101.libsyn.com.

Nestled within a grove of trees outside of St. Marys, Kansas, you’ll find a small village that looks like it’s been transported from 1600s England. 

Strings of warm, glowing lights twinkle in the darkness, and you can hear the sounds of voices and laughter. The smell of cooking food drifts through the air, and vendors are selling crafts and other wares to the visitors wandering up and down the dirt paths.

However, at the moment most of the attention is focused on the main event — a performance taking place on the stage in a nearby field, of a play written hundreds of years ago by one of history’s greatest writers.

Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival has grown from a small gathering celebrating the works of English playwright William Shakespeare to a major production that draws around 7,000 over six nights.

People come to watch a classic Shakespeare play outdoors and also to enjoy the “village” of vendors, which includes food, arts and crafts, music, a pub and more. This year’s festival takes place Sept. 6-8 and 13-15 and features the play “Twelfth Night.”

Celebrating the festival’s 10th year will be a proud moment for co-founder and K-State alum Ben Moats ’08.

“I had long dreamed of doing something like this,” he said. “At its root, the festival was inspired by a general love for the classical arts fostered by my upbringing and the subsequent need to create that it inspired.”
 

To be, or not to be

So how did the Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival come to life in St. Marys, Kansas, a town of about 2,700 approximately 30 miles from Manhattan, Kansas?

Moats said he knew wanted to “put down roots” and invest in the development of the community. Along with two friends (Eric Stevenson and Tim Akers), he helped organize the first show in 2010.

They started small on the fourth hole of the St. Marys Golf Course. About 600 people attended. After their second year there, they realized they needed a permanent location since they were only able to use the golf course during a narrow time window and had already doubled their attendance. 

In 2012, a 501(c)(3) was formed and Moats became president. Their current location has allowed a festival to be added to the show, with about 40 permanent booths placed along paths throughout the forest near the stage.

Actor and fellow K-State alum Patrick Murtha ’05 also has been involved in the Shakespeare Festival. He and Moats had been good friends and neighbors for many years and had acted together in various productions. 

Murtha said they had many conversations over Moats’ picket fence, and one in particular was about his vision of producing a Shakespeare festival. 

Murtha has to confess that, at that time, he was skeptical about the whole idea, worried it would only last a couple years. However, he gladly lent his support to his friend, and the rest, as they say, is history.  

“Here we are a decade later, the show is growing in leaps and bounds, every year drawing more and more people in to see the famous plays of the Bard,” he said.

He encourages people to give the festival a try and just take in the whole experience: the baked goods, beef pies and turkey legs, caramel apples, exhibitions with on-site artists and a blacksmith, games, music and the general ambiance.

“Bringing to life Shakespeare’s characters and knowing that people appreciate this moment is a world of its own — these are joys that can fill a heart,” he said.
 

Such stuff as dreams are made on

Both Moats and Murtha look back fondly on their time at K-State, and reflect on the ways that it shaped them.

“As a slightly older, non-traditional student in the College of Business, I finished out the bachelor’s degree that I still rely on in the family business in which I work today,” Moats said.

While at K-State he also had the opportunity to take some introduction to acting classes — classes he was interested in since he had been involved in theatrical productions throughout high school and at the Columbian Theatre in Wamego, Kansas.

“My degree and acting experience has come in handy in bridging the gap between the business side and the theater side of starting and running a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Shakespeare festival,” he said.

Murtha said during his time at K-State, “Hale Library was my home.” He worked as a research assistant to Phil Nel, a university distinguished professor in the Department of English. He has memories of exploring the stacks and scouring through microfilm.

“It was a grand job,” he said. “It taught me how to dig for little treasures amidst a sea of words.”
 

The play’s the thing

Even though Shakespeare’s plays were written approximately 400 years ago, their popularity endures. Moats and Murtha have thoughts on why people continue to be drawn to the Bard’s work.

“Shakespeare is still relevant today because there is no better playwright in the history of the English language,” Moats said. “His works still resonate with modern audiences because he wrote, in a sense, almost outside of time. His works are timeless because they are true and get to the heart of things in an extremely inspired way. They show us much about ourselves if we are willing to look.”

Murtha adds that Shakespeare is one of those few artists that will live eternally.

“He has the two essential qualifiers of a great artist: a significant and universal and common message, and a wonderful and poetical way of saying it, even when it is mere prose.  Even when he dabbles in outdated politics and squabbles, his characters and his plots are as timeless as the common man because the plays are about the common man, the everyday man, the man of yesterday and today and tomorrow. They are about being human, about blundering, about mercy and justice, about envy and benevolence, about mischief and good humor, about the vices and the virtues that make a human human.”

Learn more about how you can attend this year’s Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival.

Inside the new Midwest Dream Car Collection museum in Manhattan, Kansas, every car has a unique story — how and when it was made, who drove it over the years, and how it eventually found its way to the museum. 

The Midwest Dream Car Collection is a passion project for K-State alum Ward Morgan ’93 and his wife, Brenda. The museum has more than 65 cars on display, with exhibits rotating quarterly.

“We are an eclectic collection of cars from all different genres, from Model T’s to Lamborghinis,” said Jill Mason ’06, the museum’s executive director. “We have a little bit of everything for everyone.”

She said the goal of the museum, which is now a 501(c)(3), is to provide education about the history of the cars and also fun community programming.

Mason said the Morgans have a long history of involvement in the Manhattan community, and Ward in particular always had an interest in cars. He and his wife formally started the collection two years ago, and the museum officially opened on April 13.

“They definitely wanted to showcase this collection for Manhattan and the Midwest in general,” Mason said.

Some of Mason’s favorite cars in the collection are the classic vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s. The museum also has a DeLorean, made famous by the sci-fi classic “Back to the Future”; a 1960s Volkswagen bus; an executive limousine likely used to transport political dignitaries; and more.

So far, the museum appears to be a hit with the public.

“It’s been amazing; it’s by far exceeding what we initially thought,” Mason said. “The response from the community and car enthusiasts alike has been awesome.”

K-State connection

So, how did Mason herself get from K-State to working at a car museum?

Mason said she traveled for about 10 years of her career before coming back to Manhattan and starting a business on Poyntz called Confetti and Cashmere.

While she enjoyed her travels, she also enjoyed coming back home to Manhattan and seeing how it was a healthy, growing community.

That’s actually how she met the Morgans; she was originally one of their tenants, and now she works at the car museum.

She regularly returns to K-State to speak with students and share her career experiences. In 2018, she even received the Entrepreneur Award from the K-State College of Human Ecology.

“My curriculum at K-State and the things I learned through the classes definitely set me up to be successful in the career world,” Mason said. “It definitely built the foundation for me to be able to thrive in my current role.”
 

Visit the museum

The Midwest Dream Car Collection is located at 3007 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan. Visitors can purchase a one-day admission or a membership. The first Saturday of every month, the museum also hosts an event called Cars and Coffee, from 9-11 a.m., weather permitting.

Learn more.

For nearly 40 years, Kansas State University’s Black alumni have come together to reflect and celebrate their college roots and memorable experiences. 

The K-State Alumni Association’s biennial Black Alumni Reunion will draw inspiration from the African diaspora as we uplift K-State’s 120th anniversary of the first Black graduate, 118th anniversary of the first Black female graduate and multiple 50th anniversaries (i.e. K-State Black Student Union).

This year’s reunion, Oct. 17-20, will primarily be hosted at Prairiewood Retreat and Preserve, a unique Manhattan, Kansas, property nestled in 250 acres of native tallgrass prairie that has been rated in the top five for most beautiful natural retreats in Kansas.

“I promise you, it’s going to be an epic reunion,” said Jessica Elmore ’06, ’15, associate director of diversity programs at the Alumni Association. “We just hope that alumni from all over will come back and help us celebrate this wonderful opportunity to come together.”

RSVP online (early bird registration ends Aug. 17), and also be sure to check out the Facebook event for updates. Keep scrolling to take a sneak peek at the venue, as well as some of the exciting events we have planned for this year’s reunion!

VIP Dinner and Silent Auction | Prairiewood Retreat House

Be the first to experience Prairiewood Preserve and Retreat for a private evening on the property. A soulful and intimate dining experience will be prepared by K-State alumnus and celebrity chef Eric Harland ’93. VIP guests will get the exclusive opportunity to bid on prized photos of President Barack Obama taken by former White House photographer Pete Souza ’06. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Morris Family Multicultural Student Center. Space is limited.

50th Anniversary Reunion Gala | Prairiewood Blue Sage Barn

Experience an elegant evening of celebration as the K-State community reflects on 50 years of the K-State Black Student Union trailblazing a pathway for access, advocacy and success. During the event we will uplift the 120th anniversary of the first Black graduate, 118th anniversary of the first Black female graduate, 56th anniversary of the African Student Union, 50th anniversary of the United Black Voices Gospel Choir, 50th anniversary of the Eta Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and more. Private chef to the stars, Chef Courtney, will be the caterer for this evening’s celebration. Attire: Any African diaspora formal attire.

Painting with a Twist | Prairiewood Blue Sage Barn

Let’s get this party started! Join K-State Black alumni for the only paint and sip dance party in Manhattan. Guests should bring their own adult beverages, if desired.

Cigars and Cognac | Prairiewood Retreat House Pool Patio

Kick back on the pool patio with your favorite cigar(s) and cognac. Guests should plan to bring their own adult beverages and cigars, if desired.

View a full list of activities at the reunion. We hope to see you there!

Also, thank you to all of our sponsors for their support:
K-State Black Student Union
Eta Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
College of Business
Graduate School
Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies
FHLBank Topeka
The Fridge

Even in the heat of summer, the Gardens at Kansas State University remain an oasis on campus. 

Colorful flowers in brilliant shades of purple, yellow and orange pop up from the landscape, beckoning visitors to lean in and take a closer look as they’re strolling through the paths. The Gardens provide an opportunity to slow down and reflect, to enjoy a peaceful moment during a hectic day.

If you haven’t seen the K-State Gardens in a while, now is a great time to visit! Located at 1500 Denison Avenue in Manhattan, Kansas, the Gardens are an educational resource and learning laboratory for both K-State students and the visiting public.

The gardens are open from dawn to dusk, Sunday through Saturday, March through November. Learn more about how you can support the work of the Gardens, and keep scrolling to take a peek at some of the flowers blooming in the Gardens this summer.

At the K-State Alumni Association, we love having our alumni and friends come to visit us in Manhattan, Kansas. But, we also love traveling to see YOU! 

Every year, the K-State Alumni Association hits the road and travels to Alumni Clubs and Catbacker Clubs throughout the state and beyond. These gatherings are a great opportunity to connect with other K-Staters, hear more about what’s going on at the university, and enjoy some food and fun.

However, don’t just take our word for it — check out what some of these events are like through our photo gallery below, and learn more about how you can get involved in a local Catbacker Club (athletics focused) or Alumni Club and attend one of these events in the future. We hope to see you there!

During the heat of the summer, many people think the Kansas State University campus is dormant. But for some fifth through eighth graders in USD 383, it is their turn to bring the campus to life as they attend the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Institute.

The STEM Institute is held on K-State’s campus during June for students who have completed fifth through eighth grade. The classes are set up and the students themselves can pick four class topics they want to explore from a list of 25 topics. They go to each topic, or class, for a week and then move on to the next great thing to learn.

The camp began when USD 383 wanted to have a summer program for their students but had construction going on and no way to house all the students. The College of Education wanted a field experience opportunity for their summer class students, and the rest is history for this partnership.

“Now it has become a summer tradition with more than 320 middle school students coming to Bluemont Hall for the month of June,” said Lori Goodson ’04, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education at K-State. “What started out as a USD 383 and K-State partnership has expanded to more of a regional service providing opportunities for middle school students from school districts across the state.”

Read more

 

Single mom supported by Global Campus scholarships

For most students, the financial stress of having to pay for school weighs heavily. For students like Ashley Walther, a single mom and K-State Global Campus student, that stress is even greater. With the help of the Maes-Hemmendinger Family Scholarship Ashley received, some of her stress to pay for school is alleviated.

K-State’s Global Campus was built to provide educational opportunities for adult learners. It offers degree programs in multiple areas for people who cannot make it to campus every day. Students like Ashley benefit from this accredited online learning opportunity because of the flexibility it provides them.

“Global Campus has allowed me to schedule school when I can. The flexibility of the program has allowed me to continue my education full time and keep balance in my life,” Ashley said.

Ashley is currently double majoring in nutrition and health, and dietetics, while also working full time as a head dietetic technician at an eating disorder facility. By enrolling at K-State Global Campus, she is able to work and gain vital experience for her future career.

Read more