Kansas State University welcomed a new group of graduates into the K-State Family during fall commencement ceremonies in December.   

 

The university awarded more than 1,250 bachelor’s degrees, 300 master’s degrees, 80 doctorates and five associate degrees. More than 160 students earned their degrees through K-State Global Campus.

 

K-State President Richard B. Myers ’65 addressed students at the Graduate School commencement ceremony in Bramlage Coliseum, offering words of encouragement and hope for the new graduates. Myers said he graduated from K-State during a turbulent decade, where students had to face numerous challenges. Although there are still many problems to be solved today on a local, national and international level, he said K-State’s 2016 graduates have the tools it will take to make a positive difference.

 

“We are an interconnected world, and that’s good,” Myers said. “Because that’s how we’re going to help solve some of these problems. I’m inspired by you all — you all have the energy and the enthusiasm and the vision and the passion to change things. The world needs your leadership.”

 

Myers encouraged the students to uphold values such as integrity, selfless leadership and service, critical thinking, and continued learning. He is looking forward to seeing what the next generation of Wildcats will accomplish.

 

“I couldn’t be prouder, as your new president at Kansas State University, to stand up here and look over this group,” he said. “Congratulations again, and go ’Cats!”

 

The K-State Alumni Association helped graduates celebrate their new status as alumni with a special Grad Breakfast hosted at the Alumni Center. Members of the K-State administration served breakfast to the graduates, who also had a chance to network and win prizes.

 

In partnership with the Alumni Association, all colleges provide new graduates with a one-year membership to the K-State Alumni Association. Learn more about membership, which includes benefits such as the K-Stater magazine, the annual wall calendar, valuable discounts and more.

 

“We are honored to recognize you and all you have accomplished,” K-State Alumni Association president and CEO Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 said during commencement. “K-State alumni are among the most loyal in the nation. That loyalty is shared worldwide by generations of K-Staters who have the same passion for K-State that you feel today as you earn your degree from one of the finest universities in the nation.”

Wildcat fans enthusiastically painted Houston purple to support their team for the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl on Dec. 28. Their loyalty was rewarded with a 33-28 Wildcat victory over Texas A&M.

 

“We are proud of Coach Snyder and the team and congratulate them on a hard-earned victory at the Texas Bowl!” said Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. “It was a wonderful way to cap off a fantastic season of Wildcat football.”

 

The victory moved the Wildcats to 5-0 against teams from the Lone Star State this season after they downed Texas Tech, Texas, Baylor and TCU earlier this year. It was K-State’s eighth bowl victory in program history and its first bowl victory since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

 

“I think that’s a really cool thing to accomplish,” said K-State quarterback Jesse Ertz, who was named MVP of the Texas Bowl. “It gives the fans some bragging rights.”

 

Before fans packed the Texas Bowl stadium with purple, they had an opportunity to participate in a variety of pregame activities. The K-State Pep Rally, held on Dec. 27 at BBVA Compass Stadium, hosted 7,000 Wildcat fans and featured K-State President Richard B. Myers ’65 and Coach Bill Snyder along with other university dignitaries.

 

The K-State Alumni Association also hosted a pregame event prior to kick-off. With more than 600 fans in attendance from as far away as Alaska, St. Kitts and Australia, the sold-out event was a hit with alumni and fans of all ages.

 

“Pregame events are one of the most exciting events the Alumni Association hosts,” Renz said. “To see grandparents showing their grandchildren the traditions of Kansas State makes you excited to be a part of the K-State family!”

 

View a photo gallery of bowl festivities below.  

 

As the Kansas Legislature reconvenes in January, K-Staters will be hard at work with advocacy efforts, making sure higher education remains a priority for the state.

 

The K-State Alumni Association is involved with the Wildcats for Higher Education program, which provides opportunities for K-Staters to stay informed and be involved as advocates in keeping legislators abreast of issues impacting Kansas State University and higher education in general.  

 

“We know the state’s budget issues will continue to challenge our state legislators in 2017,” Sue Peterson ’76, ’05, K-State’s director of governmental relations, and Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, K-State Alumni Association president and CEO, said in a recent letter to constituents. “Our work is cut out for us to make sure everyone understands the impact higher education has on the state’s economy, quality of life and future prosperity. It’s important that the Kansas Legislature hears, early on, our message to prioritize higher education as they make decisions in this new legislative session.”

 

K-State’s legislative priorities include stable funding for the state general fund, as numerous reductions affect the ability to plan budgets and manage the university. State budget cuts ultimately impact students and restrict K-State’s ability to grow and fulfill its land-grant mission. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says the state of Kansas cut higher education spending per pupil by over 24 percent from fiscal years 2008 through 2013. At the same time, the average tuition at Board of Regents institutions was raised just over 15 percent.

 

“Our tradition around here for so long in the state of Kansas is that we really value higher education,” said K-State President Richard B. Myers ’65 in a radio interview. “I’d hope that there’s a repository of (legislators) who think this is truly important for our state, that if we’re going to have a prosperous state and develop economically that’s going to be done on the backs of the talent that this state has. We’re a talent factory here at Kansas State University.” Listen to the full interview.

 

To get involved, sign up for Wildcats for Higher Education e-newsletters, which help you stay-up-to-date on legislative issues with a potential impact on higher education. You can use this information to contact your local legislators, and let them know why higher education is important to you. When the Legislature is in session, the K-State Office of Governmental Relations also provides weekly updates on legislative issues important to K-State and higher education.

 

K-State is working with the Kansas Board of Regents and other Board of Regents universities to hold a “Higher Education Day” in the state capitol building on Jan. 19. You also can view a list of K-State graduates in office.

The Kansas State University men’s and women’s basketball teams have officially kicked off conference play, facing their first Big 12 opponents of the season and keeping an eye on the end goal — an NCAA Tournament appearance.

 

The women’s team kicked off conference play Dec. 29 versus Baylor, while the men’s team faced Texas on Dec. 30.

 

Both teams posted a strong start to the season. The women were undefeated in nonconference play until facing No. 1-ranked UConn in front of a sold-out crowd in Bramlage Coliseum. The men turned in a solid performance in the Wildcat Classic at the Kansas City Sprint Center, beating Washington State, 70-56.

 

Men’s head coach Bruce Weber says his team has played well so far, and he expects big things this season.

 

“We’ve been so good at moving the ball, making people guard us and being hard to guard,” he said. “The kids have been the key. It is a great locker room. They enjoy each other. They play hard and share the basketball. They are very coachable and that makes a world of a difference. Now the big thing is to keep wanting more and to not be satisfied. You have to push yourself in practice to get better.”

 

The women’s team, led by head coach Jeff Mittie, is also ready to fight, hoping for a return trip to the NCAA Tournament this year.  

 

“(We want to) get further into it,” senior guard Kindred Wesemann said of the tournament. “We all enjoyed the little taste that we got, but we want more and we wanted more as soon as we lost that game. We’re ready to get back there. We just have to keep working in order to get there.”

 

Help the K-State Alumni Association cheer on the Wildcats this season by attending one of our sponsored games. The Alumni Association will sponsor the men’s game Jan. 7 versus Oklahoma and the women’s game Feb. 11 versus Iowa State. Alumni Association board chair Dan Yunk ’71, ’75, ’87 and his wife Cheryl Yunk ’72, ’79 will accept a game ball during the men’s pregame, and Yunk and K-State Alumni Association president and CEO Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86 will accept a game ball during the women’s pregame.

 

Can’t make it back to Manhattan to watch basketball games this season? Search for a watch party in your area.

 

For young Wildcat fans

If you have a young Wildcat fan in your life, be sure to sign them up for Junior Wildcats Club, for children ages 2 to 12. Membership includes a season ticket to all volleyball, women’s basketball, baseball and soccer home games; special activities and prizes on gamedays; and more.

Kansas State University head volleyball coach Suzie Fritz ’02 had plenty to be proud of this season. Her team reached a major milestone — 800 all-time victories — and soundly defeated Lipscomb in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on the Wildcats’ home turf.

 

Although the season ended on a bittersweet note — with a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State after the Wildcats fought their way back from a 2-0 deficit and some tough goodbyes to the team’s seniors — Fritz said her team still has much to celebrate.  

 

“It hurts because it’s good. It’s hard to explain. It hurts when it’s over because it’s really, really good,” Fritz said after the tournament, her eyes welling with tears. “This team, and these seniors in particular, have brought so much to us and to me, personally, and to my life. They have enriched us in so many ways. They are extraordinary. It’s hard to know that you don’t get to see them every day, maybe more important than anything.”

 

The No. 14-seed Wildcats dropped the first two sets against Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 20-25 and 22-25. They rallied after a break to win the next pair, 25-22 and 25-23, but fell, 17-15, in the fifth and final set.

 

“The fans were amazing, and they were a big part of that turnaround for us,” K-State senior Katie Reininger said. “We emptied the tank and we went for it. It was the best game I think I could’ve ended on.”

 

K-State (21-10 overall) finished the 2016 season in a tie for fourth in the Big 12, made its 17th postseason appearance, and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007 and the sixth time in program history. In the latest RPI rankings, K-State was 18th, the third-highest team in the Big 12.

 

Years from now, however, this group of Wildcats will be remembered by Fritz for much more than where they finished.

 

“They have so much personality. They are so different from individual to individual,” Fritz said. “They’re very accepting of each other and each other’s quirks and awkward things. It’s pretty cool. They have created their own culture and took us along with it.”

 

The Wildcats lose four key seniors from this team in setter Katie Brand, a three-time First Team All-Big 12 pick; Reininger, a Second Team All-Big 12 pick this season; Brooke Sassin, who led the team in kills; and Kersten Kober, a stable force in the back row since her freshman season.

 

“It has exceeded my expectations beyond belief. It has gone by so fast, and it hasn’t always been easy, but I loved every moment of it,” Kober said of her career. “These people — my teammates, the community, everyone on the coaching staff — they mean the world to me. I couldn’t have asked for a better college experience at all.”

As you hang up your 2017 calendar, make sure to mark down these upcoming K-State Alumni Association events. We’d love to help you network with other K-State alumni and friends in the new year! Also be sure to check our website’s calendar page throughout the year for more events.

 

Wabash CannonBalls

The K-State Alumni Association Wabash CannonBalls are black-tie events that provide an opportunity for K-State alumni and friends to dine, dance and raise scholarship funds for students from their area. Learn more about these upcoming events:

 

• HOUSTON: Jan. 20
• KANSAS CITY: Feb. 24
• NORTH TEXAS: May 19
• COLORADO: Aug. 11

 

Wichita Wine Tasting

Do you enjoy sampling new wines and socializing with fellow Wildcats? Be sure to save the date for the annual Wichita Wine Tasting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas. The event includes dinner and a selection of wines to sample.

 

Just for Juniors

Do you know a high school junior who is considering K-State? Encourage him or her to attend one of our Just for Juniors events. Prospective students will meet with current K-State students, explore career choices and register for a chance to win a scholarship. Parents have a chance to talk with university representatives and learn more about the admissions process and financial aid. The K-State Alumni Association will host an event in Wichita at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13, and an event in Kansas City at 6:30 p.m. March 28. 

 

McCain discounts

K-State Alumni Association members receive discounts on several McCain Performance Series shows each semester. Discount is 15 percent off any section (available online only). The 2017 discounted shows are: Cinderella – Russian National Ballet Theatre, Jan. 28; Pilobolus – Shadowland, Feb. 26; and Trojan War: Our Warrior Chorus – Aguila Theatre, April 7. Not a K-State Alumni Association member? Learn how you can join the Alumni Association and receive McCain discounts and other benefits.

 

Rhapsody

K-State’s fourth annual Rhapsody scholarship concert is going to the movies. The 2017 concert, coordinated by the choral division of K-State's School of Music, Theatre and Dance, will take place at 4 p.m. April 23 at the historic Folly Theater in downtown Kansas City and features a live orchestra and the K-State Grand Chorus. The concert will include famous movie themes from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and more. All proceeds go toward scholarships and performance opportunities for students.

Kansas State University freshman Lexi Wenger, Sabetha, Kansas, is the winner of a Wildcats Forever scholarship sponsored by AT&T.

 

Wildcats Forever is the K-State Alumni Association’s student organization. The AT&T scholarship is given to one student per semester.

 

Wenger is majoring in interior design and will minor in business. In her free time, she said she loves to play tennis, hammock and cheer on the Wildcats. After she graduates, she hopes to work for the design firm Perkins + Will in Chicago.

 

“I chose to attend K-State because of the excellent interior design program, the beautiful campus and the students were always so kind to me on my campus visits,” she said. “It felt like home!

 

She said the scholarship will help her continue to pursue her dreams at K-State.

 

“Thank you very much for providing me with the $1,000 scholarship through Wildcats Forever,” she told AT&T. “This helps me out greatly with my college expenses. I am grateful that you have partnered with KSU Wildcats Forever and have provided not only me with this scholarship, but other students as well. We greatly appreciate it! Thank you!”

 

Learn more about the Wildcats Forever program.

When Charlie Cole ’71, ’73 was an accounting student at Kansas State University, he recalled being motivated by several faculty members in the department who still stood out to him 45 years later.

 

Charlie and his wife, Jan ’72, established an award for faculty in the accounting department in the College of Business Administration.

 

“What we hope is that this gift will help professors concentrate on their field of study more without being distracted by outside financial and other pressures. The benefit to the college will hopefully be higher retention and attracting the best staff,” Cole said.

 

Read more

 

Alumna is helping K-State students change the world

Marieta Francis ’73 was the first in her family to attend K-State. After graduating with a degree from the College of Human Ecology, she found her passion for human and environmental health advocacy.

 

For 13 years, Francis worked at Algalita Marine Research and Education as director of operations and later as executive director. This nonprofit organization conducts research and creates educational programming focused on human and environmental health as it relates to the effects of plastic pollution.

 

Francis was motivated to establish the Health and Environment Scholarship in Human Ecology because she believes that the solutions to many of the world’s problems lie within the minds of current and future students.

 

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