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SERENDIPITOUS CONNECTIONS MADE DURING PHONATHON In addition to many wonderful conversations and generous gifts pledged, some unexpected connections were made this year during the annual fund Phonathon. Among the many calls made by Kenzie May ’16, of Andale, KS, was one that connected her to Frances (DeMoss) Woodworth ’46, of Hutchinson, KS, who was crowned Miss Wesleyan in 1945. During their years at Kansas Wesleyan, both were cheerleaders and both were ministry majors with an interest in psychology. “I spoke with Mrs. Woodward for a good 30 minutes,” said May. “I will never forget that conversation. Before ending the phone call, she asked if I would be her friend on Facebook and share email addresses. I am blessed to have this new friendship and appreciate the amazing advice she shared.” Women’s soccer player Melissa Motta ’19, an Exercise Science major from Martinez, CA, enjoyed her conversations with Kansas Wesleyan alumni, including one with Dr. Ralph Matkin ’69, who taught at California State University Northridge. They swapped culture shock stories—him going from Kansas to a big city in southern California and she moving from a large community in northern California to Salina. “I enjoyed listening to the stories from alumni and hearing how different the school was for those who were here a long time ago,” said Motta. The Phonathon is an annual opportunity for current students to connect with alumni and to secure pledges toward the university’s annual fund, which directly affect the student experience with scholarship dollars. Twenty-six students made 3,224 calls over the course of 10 days, resulting in more than $40,000 in pledges and 25 new Alumni Association memberships. Cell phones and unlimited minutes were provided by Nex-Tech Wireless, and food was provided by Jimmy John’s. Thanks to our alumni and friends of the university who welcomed our students’ calls and supported the annual fund. 16
REDDINGS CONTINUE TO CHEER ON KANSAS WESLEYAN John ’91 and Jennifer ’90, ’92 Redding, of Salina, KS, feel blessed to have attended Kansas Wesleyan, where they experienced strong support from faculty, were involved in a tight-knit campus community and learned the value of making a difference in the lives of others. While pursuing his B.A. in Business Administration, John was involved in student government and served as a resident assistant. Today he is vice president and chief lending officer for The Mortgage Company in Salina. Jennifer was a cheerleader and sang in the choir while she earned her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. She became a Registered Nurse focusing on surgical nursing and then went on to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). She took a 13-year break to raise their three children and recently returned to nursing at Salina Regional Health Center.
Every year for the past 10 years, the Reddings have made a financial commitment to Kansas Wesleyan with gifts supporting such projects as the Graves Family Sports Complex, the Cheer and Dance program, and the Annual Fund. “We want to do what we can to make it possible for others to experience Wesleyan like we did,” said John. “This is why we give. We are raising three kids, which means our priorities have moved around, but we still want to support Kansas Wesleyan.” “Wesleyan provides so much more to its students than when we were there, and that excites us,” said Jennifer. “Alumni need to be a part of that.” Visit www.kwu.edu/igive2KWU for more information on how you can support Kansas Wesleyan.
Administration. Tyler Welch, a junior Computer Science major from Goleta, CA, is the first recipient.
PASSING THE TORCH Shannon Botz, a “brittle diabetic” for more than 23 years, had only one place of employment in his life, Kansas Wesleyan University. He worked in the university’s computer department while pursuing his Computer Science degree and then became Lead Computer Services Technician. He served in this capacity until his passing on April 18, 2014, at age 38. He strongly believed in the mission of Kansas Wesleyan University, and his life’s work was dedicated to assisting staff and students in achieving their goals. The Shannon Christopher Botz Endowed Scholarship was established as an annual award to a worthy junior or senior majoring in either Computer Science or Business
“I am extremely honored,” said Welch. “I am very proud to be receiving this award because of the effort and time I have put into my studies, not only to excel in all my classes but to graduate early as well. This scholarship will really help me with tuition.” The Botz family has a legacy at Kansas Wesleyan. Botz is the son of former Vice President for Institutional Advancement Brad Botz and his wife, Jane. Their eldest son, Daniel Botz, J.D., is a Professor of Business and Accounting at Kansas Wesleyan. Their youngest son, Dr. Chad Botz ’00 is director of coagulation/associate professor at University Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston. “Our family established this lasting tribute to honor this remarkable young man, whom we were proud to call son, brother and uncle,” said Brad Botz. “We hope others will see what we have done and think, ‘Hey, I can do something like that to honor a loved one and help Kansas Wesleyan students.’” Many friends of the Botz family, including Kansas Wesleyan faculty, staff and students, contributed to this scholarship.