K A NSA S W E SLE YA N U N I V ER SI T Y
CONTACT Fall 2021
A Legacy Defined:
Three generations of the Stanton family discuss KWU Dr. Marshall Stanton, center, was the president of Kansas Wesleyan from 1983-2002. He and wife, Janice, are pictured with their son, Nathan ’91, daughter-in-law Brenda ’97 and grandsons Isaac and Noah. Fall 2021 CONTACT
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2021
A message from
President Matt Thompson
Building on a 135-year Legacy
Kansas Wesleyan University Fall 2021 Contact is the official magazine of Kansas Wesleyan University and is published by the Office of Marketing and Communications. Managing Editor: Brad Salois Design/Writing: Karen Bonar Writing Assistance: Eric Brown Bob Davidson Skylar Nelson ’21 David Toelle ’08, ’15 Photo Credits: Karen Bonar Calcote Family Amanda Colgrove ’15, G’18 Tanner Colvin ’11 Skylar Nelson ’21 Editorial Assistance: Kris Heck ’20 Skylar Nelson ’21 Vice President of Advancement and University Operations: Ken Oliver Send address changes to: Advancement Office 100 E. Claflin Ave. Salina, KS 67401 alumni@kwu.edu (785) 833-4341
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At Kansas Wesleyan, we are engaged in a culture of continuous improvement. Our campus applauds successes, we pick our Coyote family up after failures, and we always, across the board, work to be better each and every day. How do we do this, while pressed in on every side with challenges? At KWU, we examine the past, the present and the future in our strategy, our decision-making and our goal-setting. Dr. Carl Sagan once said, “To understand the present, you must first understand the past.” It is impossible to understand Kansas Wesleyan’s past without saying the name Stanton. The Rev. Dr. Marshall Stanton, former KWU president and trustee, was the man who brought our university back from the brink of extinction. Many today are unfamiliar with the story, but Marshall’s efforts helped preserve the very existence of Kansas Wesleyan. His son, Nathan, would follow him to KWU and to the ministry, before becoming a long-time trustee. Now, Nathan’s sons are Coyotes. Other family members have followed as well, and Marshall’s wife Janice has, for many years, helped lead the women’s auxiliary. The Stanton story is intertwined with our university’s, and I’m honored to call myself a friend of the family. The present of Kansas Wesleyan is exciting! The past 24 months have been some of the most progressive in our 135year history. From the Nursing Education Center, to half-a-million dollars of residence hall renovations, the past two years have been a ‘boom’ period. You have, no doubt, read about these successes throughout KWU’s literature, and they have been spectacular. The quality of the student experience has increased exponentially. The awareness of who we are, and of what we offer students, has gone to new levels, thanks to significantly increased marketing initiatives. Billboards, digital audio, print, community events.... KWU has been everywhere! If you’re in central Kansas, you might even see Kansas Wesleyan during a certain well-known football game Feb. 13. Of course, the goal in bettering our marketing efforts is to attract a new breed of students to KWU, people who are looking for community in their education. This year’s class is tremendous. There are 313 new, full-time undergraduate Coyotes, the most in school history. It’s not only the incoming class that’s tremendous, however. Students like Abby Wray, Debate and Forensics national champion, help lead a student body that will accomplish great things. I’m also thrilled to work alongside our new Board of Trustees, led by chair Barry Weis ’10. Barry is a Salina native who has championed heart health, following an open-heart procedure in April 2019. His community involvement is a tremendous example of what it means to be a Coyote. It’s individuals like Barry, Abby and the Stanton family who can help us look to the future, because they understand both the past and the present ... but what is the key to the future? How do we build Kansas Wesleyan for its next 135 years? Portions of the future will certainly be about academic successes, ones that can be furthered through disciplines like Debate and Music. I look forward to seeing these programs under the direction of Kiefer Storrer ’13, the new head coach of Debate and Forensics, and Dr. James (Jim) McAllister, the new chair of the Department of Music. It is the gifts, talents and leadership of Coyotes like them that will help us continually improve, moving Kansas Wesleyan forward into its next great chapter of excellence. All the best,
Matt Thompson, Ph.D., President and CEO
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KWU’s
2021-22 Student B
Total Students
812
313
New full-time undergraduate students, the highest-such total in school history.
ody
Undergraduate
MBA
UNdergradUaTe sTaTisTics
Top five sTaTes
760
45%
are from Kansas
52
Kansas
Texas
California
39.3%
identify as Hispanic/Latinx or Black
22%
are first-generation
Oklahoma
Colorado
Fall 2021
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A look back at Homecoming 2021 ...
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2021
KWU CHRISTENS NEW OPTICS LAB AT HOMECOMING 2021 It’s been a great few years for the sciences at Kansas Wesleyan! After dedicating the Bieber Biology Lab, Creager Physics Lab and the Hauptli Chemistry Lab in recent years, the university christened the Stucky Optics Lab at Homecoming 2021. A special, private dedication was held Oct. 16 in the lab on the fourth floor of Peters Science Hall. “When I came to KWU, there were two key physics professors — Dr. Creager and Paul Stucky,” said Dr. Dave Fancher ’64, a member of the ‘Gang of Eight’ who helped drive the renovation of the labs, which were named for three faculty members. “Both were instrumental in helping us understand physics and giving us a lot of great experiences. These two professors helped train us and give us
an excellent basis for graduate school. Four of our group went on to earn doctoral degrees, and the rest masters degrees. N. Paul Stucky Each member of our group has accomplished some great things in the sciences, and they all trace back to these two professors.” N. Paul Stucky was a member of the Kansas Wesleyan faculty from 1958-84. He taught a variety of physical science classes including geology, astronomy, physics and optics. He especially enjoyed his time with the Physics and Amateur Radio
KWU and Salina Education Foundation Partner to Further Diversity Among Educators Kansas Wesleyan and the Salina Education Foundation announced a new scholarship program in late August, designed to both aid in teacher recruitment and further the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. The RISE program will provide a $22,500 KWU scholarship to qualified, selected transfer students who enter the KWU Teacher Education program. Historically underrepresented groups will be the focus of the effort. In addition to the annual scholarship, the program will also provide a $5,000 forgivable loan per student, enabling everyone in the program to complete a bachelor’s degree in Teacher Education with little or no debt. At the conclusion of the program and certification requirements, students will be provided the opportunity to become a teacher in USD 305, Salina’s school district. For more information on the RISE program, please contact the KWU Admissions office at (785) 833-4305 or admissions@kwu.edu.
Clubs. For five summers (196670), he led the cooperative program with Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mark Stucky Mexico, accompanying students for a six-week college session and archaeological trip. During January interterm sessions (1968-78), he organized and led classes on biology, geology and archaeology to Puerto Rico and Mexico. Mark Stucky, Paul Stucky’s son and a nationally-known test pilot who previously worked for Virgin Galactic, spoke at an on-campus event Oct. 15.
“When I came to KWU, there were two key physics professors — Dr. Creager and Paul Stucky. Both were instrumental in helping us understand physics and giving us a lot of great experiences. These two professors helped train us and give us an excellent basis for graduate school.” — Dr. Dave Fancher ’64
New Partnership announced with Mahaska Two of the pillars of the Salina business community have announced an exciting new partnership, as Mahaska and Kansas Wesleyan have joined forces. Mahaska will be the official beverage provider for KWU, and will sponsor both the KWU Exemplary Teacher Award and scholarship opportunities designed to support Marketing and Business students from north-central Kansas. “It has been an honor to be a part of the great history of Kansas Wesleyan,” said Alan Michaud, chief of Kansas operations for Mahaska. “Mahaska is proud to continue, and expand, our partnership with such a great, local organization that does so much for our community.” While Mahaska will receive status as an official partner of Coyote athletics and numerous signage opportunities throughout campus, the
Photo by Karen Bonar Pictured left to right: Joe Hartley, Mahaska marketing manager, Ken Oliver, KWU’s vice president of Advancement and university operations and Alan Michaud, Mahaska’s chief of Kansas operations.
academic support means just as much to KWU. “We are thrilled to partner with Mahaska in a more indepth way,” said Ken Oliver, vice president for Advancement and university operations. “The company has always supported KWU in the past, but in helping honor our faculty and support our students, this takes their support to another
level. We appreciate their commitment to the educational climate of Salina, this community we love so much.” More information on the Mahaska scholarship opportunities will be available in the near future. For more information regarding Mahaska, please visit http://www.mahaska.com. Fall 2021
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CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS Across campus, construction and expansion continues. More than half-a-million dollars was invested in residence hall improvements this summer, bringing the total in investment to $10 million in the last 24 months. Overall improvements include: A new parking lot (photo 1), new chairs in every classroom, new washers and dryers in the residence halls, new flooring in the residence halls (photo 2, 3) and a new scoreboard in Mabee Arena (photo 4). 6 CONTACT | Fall 2021
Kansas Wesleyan Announces Newest Faculty and Staff Kansas Wesleyan formally announced its newest faculty and staff members along with a pair of promotions this fall. Two new department chairs joined KWU this summer, including the previously announced Dr. James Dr. James McAllister, who will lead McAllister KWU’s Department of Music. In addition, Dr. Michelle Case will head the growing Department of Business and Accounting. Bernard (Bernie) Botson ’18, former Saline County assistant director of emergency management, comes to KWU Dr. Michelle as an assistant professor in that Case discipline, while Lori Brubaker ’08 joins the Department of Teacher Education with the same title. Sarah Kingan (Nursing Education), Bridgette Crosson (Nursing Education), Brenna Riley (Biology), Jeroen Nelemans (Graphic Design) and Jonathan Hughes (Sport Bernard and Exercise Science) also begin (Bernie) Botson their Kansas Wesleyan careers as assistant professors in their fields. Tissa Salter joins KWU as an instructor in English, Sureni Wickramasooriya does so as an instructor in Mathematics, Jennifer Moran will serve as a student success coach and Chris Miertschin rounds out the academic additions as the new director of athletic bands. On the staff side, Brandon Agee and Ryan Cooper joined the admissions staff as counselors, Juli Wilson is the new assistant director of Financial Aid, and Irma Diaz is a financial aid specialist. Finally, two promotions were announced. Ken Oliver has been promoted to the position of vice president of Advancement and University Operations, while Bennington native Skylar Nelson ’21 is now a full-time communications specialist in the Marketing and Communications office. “These talented individuals will help lead Kansas Wesleyan to great things,” said Ken Oliver, vice president of Advancement and university operations. “They will help us provide a truly exceptional student experience from start to finish, whether in academics, fine arts or administrative disciplines, and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish!”
Distinguished Alumni Honored at Homecoming Kansas Wesleyan University honored several well-respected alumni and friends during Homecoming activities on Oct. 16. The 2021 award recipients are: Olga Silverman ’13 — Alumni Achievement
Gus Applequist ’14 — Alumni Service
Olga Silverman is an English Studies scholar and educator, a champion debate and forensics coach and a 2015 Kansas Horizon Award winner by the Kansas Department of Education. Born and raised in Riga, Latvia, she completed a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Latvia. In her second career, she received her B.A. in English and Secondary Education from Kansas Wesleyan and an M.S.E. in Curriculum Instruction from the University of Kansas. She currently resides in Salina with her husband, David, and their daughter, Stephanie.
A native of Salina, Gustaf Applequist is a 2014 graduate of KWU, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. Gus met his wife, Hannah ’16, through their mutual love of music at KWU. After graduating, Gus worked for several years in manufacturing, followed by three years running a retail business and bakery. In 2019, Gus started Fili Creative, a media production business based in Salina. Gus is an active musician playing the double and electric bass in the Salina Symphony, Salina Community Theatre and the band, Everyday Lights. Gus serves on the boards of the Salina Symphony, the Friends of the River Project, Covenant Cedars Bible Camp (Hordeville, Neb.) and the KWU Foundation.
Hannah Holt ’14, G’16 — Young Alumni A Shawnee, Kan. native, Hannah Holt has built her career in Salina. She is the current promotions director at Meridian Media and an on-air personality on Y93.7, as well as an account executive for the company. During her tenure with the media conglomerate, she brought events like Salina on Tap and Rock Out NYE to life and continues to organize and plan new community events each year. She co-hosts the Y Wake Up Show with Chad Allen, and enjoys bringing a smile to peoples’ faces during their morning commute. She has specifically helped grow nonprofits and small businesses by means of broadcast advertising and digital marketing. During her time in Salina, Hannah has been a voice and volunteer for organizations like the Salina Area United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Greater Salina Community Foundation and the Love, Chloe Foundation. She has stayed an active member of the KWU community by being the PA announcer for Coyote volleyball, helping at basketball games, providing internship opportunities for Kansas Wesleyan students, attending Coaches’ Luncheons and by attending her favorite event, Night with the Yotes. Hannah met her husband, Garrett Young ’17, G’19, in Wilson Hall on Kansas Wesleyan’s campus while attending college, and the two were married in Sams Chapel in 2018.
Scott & Annie Boswell — Alumni by Choice Scott grew up in Olathe and is a neurosurgeon at Salina Regional Health Center, where he loves taking care of patients in Central Kansas. Annie was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico but moved to the states in 2003 to start a family with Scott. She is a cardiovascular nurse by trade, but she has worked as a full-time volunteer for Kansas Wesleyan for the last seven years. Annie’s involvement in KWU is broad. She has been the Host Family Coordinator and a Team Mom for the Men’s soccer team since 2015. She currently works as a Campus Ministries staff/ volunteer, leading Women’s Bible Studies as well as one-on-one discipleship and mentoring sessions with students. She is the founder and leader of the “Breaking Bread” fellowship ministry for students in partnership with First Southern Baptist Church and University United Methodist Church in Salina. Annie is also the Chaplain for the Softball team. Lastly, Annie is a Hispanic/ Latin American community — and student — liaison, supporting KWU’s goal of embracing diversity and promoting inclusion, as well as ensuring that Hispanic and Latin American students have all the support they need to graduate while having an enriching journey in Salina and KWU. Annie is a current member of the Kansas Wesleyan Foundation Board.
Additionally, the following 2020 Alumni Awards Honorees were recognized during the ceremony: Bob Reynolds ’72 (Alumni Service Award), Dr. Virginia Shaw ’73 (Alumni Achievement Award), Brie (Morton) Campbell ’09 (Young Alumna Award) and Wayne Schneider (Alumni by Choice). Also honored during halftime of the Homecoming football game were the 2020 Hall of Fame recipients: Murad Dibbini ’01 (men’s soccer), Lisa (Tripp) Hall ’98 (volleyball), Nathan Haberichter ’92 (track & cross country) and the 1989, 1990 and 1991 Softball teams. Fall 2021
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McAllister picks Music Dr. up baton for KWU’s Man Music Department Kansas Wesleyan welcomed Dr. James McAllister as the university’s new chair of the Department of Music and director of bands this fall. McAllister comes to KWU following five years at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn. During that time, he served as the assistant professor of Music and director of bands, including concert band, jazz ensemble and athletic bands. He also served as the chair of the Fine Arts and Media Communication Department and the director of the Music program. “Dr. McAllister stood out from the beginning of the hiring process,” said Dr. Damon Kraft, KWU provost. “His experience and knowledge of the region will help take KWU’s department of Music to new heights.” “It’s a passion to teach music and train musicians,” McAllister said. “I really consider myself lucky; I knew what I wanted to do at 16. I’ve always wanted to be a musician. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” He spent nearly a dozen years at Garden City Community College as the Director of Instrumental Music, from 2003-15. “From my time in Garden City, I had a large respect for Kansas Wesleyan and its music department,” he said. “It was considered a well-run and well-respected place for musicians. It is somewhere
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“It’s a passion to teach music and train musicians. I really consider myself lucky; I knew what I wanted to do at 16. I’ve always wanted to be a musician. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” — Dr. James McAllister
Photo by Karen Bonar
Dr. James McAllister leads a class early in the fall semester. McAllister is the new chair of the Department of Music at KWU and its director of bands. students learn something about the craft they won’t get anywhere else. “I literally jumped at the chance to join the faculty at Kansas Wesleyan.” While working in Garden City, McAllister traveled to Lawrence regularly to work on his Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education at the University of Kansas, which he completed in 2012. McAllister said he was a “band kid” growing up. He began playing the clarinet in the fifth grade and eventually
branched out. “I switched to saxophone because it looked fun to play in a jazz ensemble,” he said. Upon graduating with his bachelor’s from Shenandoah University in Virginia, McAllister taught middle and high school band in Wilmington, Del., while playing in both Wilmington and Philadelphia. For McAllister, one alluring aspect of Salina is the variety of performing arts. “I think the symphony is
excellent,” McAllister said of the Salina Symphony. “I remember hearing them play. The musicians are top-notch. The concerts I attended were really fabulous.” Kansas Wesleyan has strong community ties, which are essential to the program. “I know how important arts are to Salina. I’m looking to build partnerships and work collaboratively with local art groups to build better arts programs for not only Salina, but for the
Numerous scholarships are available in KWU’s Fine Arts division. For more information, visit KWU.edu/admissions.
region,” McAllister said. The music schedule began on KWU’s campus on Sept. 25. Upcoming concerts (in-person and online) include the Jazz Ensemble/ Wind Ensemble Concert at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Christmas by Candlelight on Dec. 5, with additional performances and festivals slated throughout the 202122 academic year. “I’m excited about the Fusion Festival in March,” McAllister said. “We’re talking about what acts we will bring. I want to bring a variety of diverse musical styles to Salina. I’m chomping at the bit about that one. “I see many great opportunities at Kansas Wesleyan. Kansas is an adopted home for me, so it’s good to be home.” By Karen Bonar
Music &Theatre
Oct. 30
Honors Orchestra Festival
Nov. 20
Honors Band Festival
Nov. 21
Philharmonic Choir at Belmont Christian Church | 10:30 a.m.
Nov. 30
Jazz Ensemble/Wind Ensemble Concert | 7 p.m.
Dec. 1
Acting/Dance Recital | 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5
Christmas by Candlelight | 3 p.m., 7 p.m.
Dec. 11-12
At the Salina Symphony | 7 p.m., 4 p.m.
Feb. 27
Choral Ensembles Concert | 2 p.m.
Mar. 3
Wind Ensemble/Orchestra Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 21-25
FUSION Concert Series
Apr. 22-24
Spring Musical
Apr. 23
Choir, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble Concert | 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 26
Jazz/Percussion Concert | 7:30 p.m.
May 5
Cinco de Mayo Pops Concert | 7 p.m.
*Dates and times subject to change
Find the full schedule of events, including streaming links, at:
www.kwu.edu/finearts Fall 2021
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Photo by Karen Bonar
Chris Miertschin, Jr. (playing trombone) is Kansas Wesleyan’s director of athletic bands. He conducts and participates in The Howl, which plays at home football and basketball games.
KWU revives athletic band
There’s no French horn in jazz, so Chris Miertschin, Jr., learned to play the trombone. That sort of out-of-the-box thinking was just one reason Kansas Wesleyan hired Miertschin as its new director of athletic bands this fall. Miertschin will be working with newly appointed Dr. James [Jim] McAllister, the chair of the KWU music department, to nurture the program. “Jim and I are thinking something different than traditional marching band,” Miertschin said. “This is a chance for us to do something that you can’t find at the other schools in the state that have marching bands. We’re trying to think outside the box as we build the program, see what students are interested in and what we can do that will set this program apart.” This year’s incarnation of The Howl made its debut at the Sept. 11 home football opener, with Miertschin leading the band as he played the trombone. “The students and the band were engaged the whole time,” he said. “That’s most important, that my students feel like they’re actively involved in what’s going on.” The Howl athletic band will perform at all home football and basketball games. “The instrumentation will change for us,” he said of football versus basketball games. “At football,
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a drum set doesn’t work well. Outside, we want things to be loud, so we have four people on percussion. “At basketball, our percussion will shift to a drum set and we will probably add electric base.” With a dozen students, the program has plenty of room to grow. “I know the [athletic band] program is starting small, but the focus first and foremost is building the numbers in the program,” he said. “The longerterm goal, for The Howl especially, is to develop it into an on-the-field band.” Prior to KWU, Miertschin spent four years as the director of bands/associate professor of music at Hutchinson Community College. During that time, he led the Blue Dragon Pep Band and String Orchestra. He also helped expand the concert experience and hosted off-campus concerts in nontraditional locations, such as the Strataca Salt Mine and Hutchinson Zoo. He said the shift from a two-year to a four-year institution is exciting. “You’re constantly worrying about what next year will look like because students are there for only two years,” Miertschin said. “The chance to work with students longer and have more stability with the students in the program is nice.” Recruitment will also look different.
“Wesleyan focuses on state-wide and regional recruiting, which I think is good for the band program,” he said. “Also, Texas is prime band country. In Texas, band programs are just as serious as sports programs — you pick band or sports.” Yet it’s presence that makes one of the biggest impacts. “I had a student ask a few weeks ago if they learned tuba if they could join The Howl,” Miertschin said. “I had a student from a community college who came during our first game, and said, ‘This looks like a lot of fun.’ He could be a student who will join us next fall.” He hopes more awareness expands the band’s membership, but knows it will be a process to grow the new program. “I think next semester we’ll see a little increase in numbers,” Miertschin said. “The major numbers increase will probably happen next fall.” Miertschin earned his bachelor’s at Kansas State University in Manhattan and his master’s at the University of Georgia. “I’m appreciative of administrative support for the growth of the program,” Miertschin said. “Also for the chance to work with Jim to build this program from the ground up and try new things.” By Karen Bonar
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Fall 2021 CONTACT 11 Kansas Wesleyan University
STUDENT BECOMES INSTRUCTOR
Alum Kiefer Storrer ’13 hired to coach KWU debate and forensics team
Y
ou can’t fill the boots of a legend, but KWU alumnus Kiefer Storrer ’13 is excited to try. He was recently hired as the head Debate and Forensics coach at Kansas Wesleyan University, where he will take the reins from longtime coach Gary Harmon. “It’s hard for anyone to follow such a successful person, but I’m excited to do it. I know that I’m capable of doing it,” Storrer said. “This job has been the dream since I was 20 or 21 years old. Harmon made the transition very easy.” In the 16 years he was at KWU, Harmon established a robust program and recruited students such as Storrer. “Kansas Wesleyan was the only college I applied to because my high school debate coach knew Harmon, and she suggested that I come here to continue my career,” Storrer said. “I really found a home with the Debate and Forensics team and a good sense of community at KWU in general.” During his student years, Storrer racked up four individual wins, including top overall competitor at Louisiana State UniversityShreveport in 2012 and second place in Parliamentary Debate at Christian Nationals in 2013. He was also part of the Debate team that placed first overall at Christian Nationals in 2013. Upon graduating with a bachelor’s in Communications, Storrer took a gap year to work. He then attended the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., where he helped coach the Debate team as he completed his
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Photo by Karen Bonar
Kiefer Storrer ’13 teaches a public speaking class on Aug. 31. Storrer is the university’s new debate and forensics coach. master’s. During that time, he also served as a judge for some debate and forensics competitions hosted by KWU. In the fall of 2016, he learned about a position at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Ariz. “I had to decide in one weekend if I wanted to move 18 hours down there,” he said. “My car died halfway through grad school, so I didn’t have a car at the time. My dad helped me move. We packed up his little Honda and drove 18 hours to Arizona.” His first year was as assistant coach for the Debate and Forensics program. After that year, he was promoted to head coach. “It was good preparation for future coaching experiences,” Storrer said. “I coached over 100 students at the community college.” For some students, debate and
forensics was a new experience. “I had only a few who had debated in high school,” Storrer said. “The rough thing at community college is that I rarely had students for the full two years. Even though we had them a short time, we had success and got a couple of national titles.” Titles include coaching Glendale Community College’s first ever national champion in Parliamentary Debate at Phi Rho Pi (Community College) Nationals in 2018 and Glendale Community College’s first ever showcase performer at Pi Kappa Delta Nationals in 2019. In 2019, he received the CollieTaylor Fellowship Award at Phi Rho Pi Nationals, an annual peerrun award showcasing coaching excellency and contributions to the forensics community. He was also elected to serve as the Phi Rho Pi Region III Governor from 2018-20.
When COVID-19 struck, Glendale cut the coaching position, and he returned to Kansas in July 2020. “Barbara Marshall jumped through hoops to make it possible for me to be an assistant coach and teach as an adjunct faculty member,” Storrer said. He collaborated with Harmon for the team’s 2020-21 competition year, which was held exclusively online. “We were massively successful last year,” Storrer said. “The students are talented, but we also embraced online forensics. “We were able to come away with three national titles and multiple placings at nationals. We had success online, and it’s exciting the prospect of going on road trips. It’s crazy to think how much better we’ll be in person.” Continuing the culture is a
Debate/Forensics, coupled with internship, prepare student for career
Kansas Wesleyan University provides just the right perspective for junior Abby Wray. She came to KWU to work with Gary Harmon, who built the Debate and Forensics program into one with national acclaim. “The highlight of Kansas Wesleyan is a tie at this point: Winning the national championship with forensics and being led by the legendary (Gary) Harmon,” said the junior from Wichita. “And then being led by his own student, who brings a different perspective.” Harmon retired at the end of the 2020-21 academic year. His former pupil, Kiefer Storrer ’13, served as the assistant coach for Harmon’s final year and was hired over the summer as the team’s head coach. “I think both of their perspectives helped me to get the national title,” Wray said. “They both helped shape the end result and final outcome. Their guidance, watching, editing it, critiquing it, having their eyes on the performance is so helpful.” Wray uses these coaching lessons
to define her work ethic. “With Debate and Forensics, it’s an activity where you get out what you put in,” Wray said. “I’ve always had really chill coaches. They’re not going to do any of the work for you; it’s not part of their job. It’s their job to watch over you while you do the work. “I’ve always been inclined to do extra work. I think that’s where I’ve found my strength with Debate and Forensics, because I’m willing to put in a little extra effort.” Working hard is something Wray said she’s been able to do since day one at Wesleyan. In Spring 2021, she took home a national title in dramatic interpretation at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational (NCCFI). She also finished third in program of oral interpretation and sixth in varsity extemporaneous speaking. In addition to Debate and Forensics, she immersed herself in the student newspaper and television program. “I worked from the second I got in here, because Paul Green let me
be as involved as I wanted to be,” she said of Green, who oversees student media production. “That meant by my sophomore year I was editing the newspaper, I was anchoring the news cast. He’s given me all of the broadcast journalism opportunities I could have ever wanted.” This involvement, coupled with the skills honed in debate and forensics, led Wray to an internship at KAKE News in Wichita this summer. “I wouldn’t have had the internship opportunity without Paul Green and the connections he has,” Wray said. “I learned more over the summer than I could have ever imagined. I feel like I’m in the right career path.” She is working on a double major in communications and public relations. As she looks to the final two years of her collegiate career, Wray said she hopes to build and expand on her experiences. Upon graduation, Wray plans to embark upon a broadcast journalism career in Virginia, utilizing the experience and connections gained
priority as he embarks upon his first year as head coach. “You can’t coach passion,” Storrer said. “We’re blessed with hardworking students. There are other programs where a coach will write a whole speech for someone, and I’m so happy that’s not the culture of our team. We have college students who are young and thinking on their feet. They have something to say and have a story to share. Helping cultivate and facilitate each student’s voice is important to me. “I couldn’t do it without the students. They are very talented and driven. We have so much potential. The program will keep growing.” At the community college level, Storrer said he didn’t have the opportunity to recruit students.
“I’m excited about recruitment. We have such a good recruitment office,” Storrer said. “It makes my job a lot easier to have those I know who are interested. I think recruitment is going strong and will be even stronger.” While the 2020-21 academic year was his first at KWU, his influence in the classroom drew students such as junior Elizabeth Schaefer onto the team. “For one part of an oral interpretation class, we are required to compete in a competition. I got first, so I thought, ‘Maybe I should try it again,’” said Schaefer, a junior majoring in theatre with a music minor. “I did Forensics in high school and went to nationals my senior year. I promised myself I would quit there, but then I met
Kiefer and he invited me to join the team.” Schaefer placed third in dramatic interpretation and fourth in oral interpretation at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational and was a semifinalist in dramatic interpretation at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament in the spring. “I love my team. We’re close to each other and support each other,” Schaefer said. The family-like atmosphere is something Storrer said is essential. “The quality of the team is going to be solid, and it was really important that we kept the nucleus that we’ve built over the last two years,” Storrer said. Storrer worked closely with
Photo by Karen Bonar
Junior Abby Wray performs during a forensics showcase on Oct. 15.
during her internship. But for now, the goal is to continue to excel in her student activities. “I want to keep building on the skills that I’ve acquired over the last two years,” she said. “If I could set an overachieving goal for debate and forensics, it would be to finish college with five national titles. I have two titles, and I would need three more titles to successfully complete that. You can get multiple national championships, in different events, in a year. It’s possible.”
By Karen Bonar
Harmon as the assistant coach, and Harmon said he has earned the team’s respect. “It’s relational. Kiefer was coming into my team, so he had to build a relationship with them — one they would trust and understand and know that he knew what he was talking about,” Harmon said. “By the end of the year, students were going to him to ask questions before they would come to me, which is where we wanted them to be.” The Wesleyan team is young and strong with a bright future. “I think Harmon wanted to know he was leaving the program in good hands,” Storrer said. “I didn’t have to jump through a lot of hoops to establish that trust. I think he always believed in me.”
By Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
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Leaving a Legacy Multiple generations of Stanton family attend, graduate from Kansas Wesleyan
Commitment, partnership and collaboration are all critical parts of the Kansas Wesleyan culture, one that was built during the presidency of Dr. Marshall Stanton, which spanned from 1983-2002. When Stanton arrived on campus, however, words like bankrupt, overwhelming and bleak surrounded the university. It was Stanton’s leadership that saved Kansas Wesleyan from closure, and, in the decades that followed, the family established a multigenerational legacy on campus. “The KWU presidency was by far the most significant professional position I served,” Marshall said. “To see the institution flourish brings great satisfaction to the entire family. “When I left, it had attained the best position it had ever. The endowment went from $1.7 million to about $17 million.” He departed on a high note. When he assumed the helm of Wesleyan, however, the university’s
financial situation was bleak. “The institution was bankrupt,” he said. “There was a great team effort that surrounded this institution. It was comprised of the trustees, the faculty, the staff and the community. The community rallied for the first several months to find about $800,000 in order to pay our bills. That roused the community to service and commitment.” The late ’80s were difficult for local institutions of higher education. Marymount College closed in 1989, and Wesleyan was fighting to escape a similar fate. Climbing back from the brink was a slow process. “The facilities did not look good. The grass was not good, the buildings looked worn down, paint was peeling on the windows and enrollment was low,” Marshall said. Wayne Schneider, who served as CFO of Wesleyan from 1985-2016, said improving the campus aesthetic
Photo courtesy of Jane Anderson
Dr. Marshall Stanton, right, accepts the name plate on May 3, 2002, for the conference room on the main floor of Pioneer Hall. The conference room was named for Stanton, who served as the president of KWU from 1983-2002. The name plate was presented by Brad Botz.
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Photo by Karen Bonar
Nathan Stanton ’91, center, attended KWU during his father’s tenure as the university’s president. His two sons, Isaac, left and Noah, right, attend during their father’s tenure as a member of its Board of Trustees. was important. “It was like a cow pasture, it was just dirt,” Schneider said. “The first thing we installed was irrigation, green grass and flowers. Then we started in on dormitories because that’s where the students lived. “We took the student as a priority and focused on: where do they live, where do they go, what do they do? We made improvements based on those questions.” It was important to make incremental changes. “We tried to lift the whole institution a little bit at a time, all of the time,” Marshall said. “Our troubles were overwhelming, but one day at a time, you work them out. “When I took this on, I didn’t think about failure. I thought, ‘What is our next step?’ We slowly renovated buildings. We did not go into debt for reconstruction and remodeling. We paid cash for all of
it.” Schneider said, during the course of two decades, the university made $50 million worth of campus improvements. During Marshall’s tenure, there were four major fundraising campaigns at Kansas Wesleyan, two particularly of note. The first was a financial recovery campaign in 1985. “It was an effort to raise $750,000 to cover the expenses of the upcoming semester and next year,” Marshall said of the successful Financial Recovery program. “The community got behind that in a marvelous way.” Shortly after, the university embarked upon its 2nd Century Campaign. Its goal was to help provide for future operations, as well as to expand the scholarship accounts. In the midst of the 2nd Century
Campaign, an opportunity presented itself to retire nearly $3.3 million worth of debt, which was acquired when KWU built Pfeiffer, Wilson, Wesley and Peters Science halls. “Peters Science Hall was built in 1968, and it was estimated enrollment was 1,600 students,” Marshall said. “It was absurd. When I came in here, we were 450 to 500 students. The loans were not paid and were stripping the institution of its resources. We could never get ahead. That debt was an unrelenting burden. “We discovered fortuitously that Bethel College [which is now Bethel University] in Tennessee had worked out a deal to get out from under the major debt on their buildings.” Stanton collaborated with a consultant, the Board of Trustees, and politicians: local, state and federal. Together with William H. Graves and CFO Schneider, Stanton went to Washington, D.C. to make an offer. “The proposal was that we would provide a $500,000 single cash payment to meet the debt in full,” Marshall said of the university’s accumulated $3.3 million for the quartet of buildings. It was accepted, and a deadline for the payment was set. Once the balance was paid, Marshall said the financial atmosphere at the university changed significantly. “All of a sudden, Kansas Wesleyan was free of debt and we could start to spend money on the institution rather than on the debt,” Marshall said. “That may have been the single greatest event in the university’s history.” At times, the task of building the institution felt formidable. Yet the Methodist faith he fostered from his Please see SONS, page 16 The Stanton family members with KWU ties gathered for a portrait on campus. From left are Isaac, Noah, Dr. Marshall, Janice, Brenda and Nathan Stanton. Both Brenda and Nathan graduated from Kansas Wesleyan, and Noah and Isaac (their two oldest sons) are currently enrolled.
Photo by Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
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ABOVE: Rev. Dr. Marshall Stanton (center) was inducted into the Salina Business Hall of Fame in 2019. He is pictured with Bill Snyder and James Lambert ’82, chairman of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. RIGHT: Nathan Stanton assists his son, Isaac, on move-in day this fall.
Sons continue family tradition as students From page 15 teen years sustained him. “I elevated the mission of Kansas Wesleyan as a Christian institution that was worthy of commitment,” Marshall said. “The fundamental thing is to maintain the university as a Christian institution and let it filter through everything.” Marshall was ordained a United Methodist minister in 1958. He served faith communities in Jewell and Randall, Salina and Colby before being appointed district superintendent of 62 churches and 42 pastors in 1978. It was his church leadership that allowed him to hone the management skills utilized at KWU. “We had goals. We met those goals. We had a sense of success, a sense of movement, a sense of achievement,” Marshall said. “Those things gave us courage to take the next step.” Three years after he assumed the role of university president, Marshall’s son, Nathan, walked onto campus as a freshman. “Kansas Wesleyan was incredibly important in the way it shaped how I would launch into life as a Christian leader and then as a pastor,” said Nathan Stanton ’91. “I entered Wesleyan knowing many of the professors who I would have through fellowship gatherings at our home. Many professors had profound impacts on me.”
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Friends and mentors include Rev. David Smith, Dr. Paul Custodio Bube and Dr. Bill Brown. “I spent a good many hours with [Rev. David Smith] talking, discerning and working my way through the necessity of transitioning from college to seminary,” Nathan said. “Dr. Bill Brown was my advisor and spent many hours tutoring me in French. He is a beloved figure for me even today because of his brilliance and his graciousness in the way he carried the atmosphere of class, tying together faith, English and being a disciple of Christ.” In addition to faith, football is a common thread for the Stanton men. Nathan suited up for the Coyotes from 1987-90, and two of his sons are playing for the Yotes this year. Both Noah and Isaac suited up for the Sept. 4 football game. “They played their first college football game on the field at Friends University, the same field where I played my first college football game 68 years ago,” said Marshall, who played football for four years at Friends while earning his bachelor’s. Nathan said his years as a studentathlete helped teach lessons and discipline he still uses. While Noah is entering his junior year and Isaac his freshman season, the two have the same eligibility because of delays relating to COVID-19. Both Noah and Isaac began at
Kansas Wesleyan in August. While the family are enthusiastic athletic supporters, the accessibility of academic and club activities shaped both Nathan, who graduated with a degree in English in 1991, and his wife, Brenda, who graduated with a bachelor’s in theatre and speech in 1997. “Dr. Eric and Barbara Marshall, along with my sister Kirsten and good friend Jernard Burks, twisted my arm and talked me into working the Audrey II puppet in Little Shop of Horrors my freshman year,” Nathan said. “I had never done anything like that except play in a band. I was cast in two or three shows every year after that.” He later attended seminary and was ordained a Methodist minister in 1993. “If I had not done all of that memorization and acting at KWU, I never would have been able to deal with the thought of preaching week in and week out for the rest of my life,” Nathan said. “Theatre was a crucible that brought together a greatest fear — public speaking — with creativity and team building. That sticks with me even today.” The positive collegiate experience prompted Nathan to join the university as a member of its Board of Trustees in 2013. “I said yes and wanted to be all-in for KWU,” Nathan said. Returning time and talent via
stewardship was important to the couple. Nathan and his wife, Brenda, met during college and wed in December 1994. The couple enjoys hearing about their sons’ first-hand experiences on campus. “My kids have commented several times about professors and students being very helpful and kind,” Brenda said. “KWU is growing. There is a positive and vibrant feeling on campus. The individual attention that is given to students at KWU is amazing.” She said the university was a part of their sons’ lives from the very beginning. “My grandfather taught me how to ride a bike,” Isaac said. “Very soon after, I remember riding around and on the campus at Wesleyan.” He has vivid memories of watching KWU football games and pursued the sport enthusiastically. During his senior year of high school at Basehor-Linwood, Isaac was invited to participate in the 2021 Kansas Shrine Bowl. “The [Wesleyan] football coaches reached out to him,” Brenda said. “[Isaac] was impressed with the campus and the individual attention he was able to find here. Noah decided to transfer in order to be with family.” The importance of family heightened when Nathan was diagnosed with Lou Gherig’s Disease
Photo by Karen Bonar
Nathan Stanton ’94, walks with his father, Dr. Marshall Stanton, who served as president of Kansas Wesleyan from 1983-2002. “It was a bit hard as a freshman early on,” Nathan said of attending the university where his father served as president. “Many of my deepest friendships remain intact from the years at Kansas Wesleyan.” He currently serves a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. [ALS] in the spring. This fall, the family moved from the Kansas City area to Salina to be closer to Marshall and Janice. “Since we learned of Nathan’s illness, it has been important for us to have our family together so we can spend as much time together as possible,” Brenda said. “We don’t want Noah to have to choose between classes or practice and getting to see his dad.” Lessons learned while at KWU also help Nathan as he journeys through the illness. “Football practice was a driver in how I approach life,” he said. “Being diagnosed with a terminal illness, you can either give up and check out on life, or you can get up and lean into the psychological pain and challenge of that knowledge until it is manageable. I have chosen the latter. “I don’t know if I would have had the wherewithal to face the diagnosis as I have without the foundation
of depending on teammates in the games we played and the hours and hours of training and practicing together. There just isn’t a way to prepare for life any better than being part of a cast or a team, who have a clear goal in mind and are willing to give up their own comfort to get it done. “As much as KWU is part of Brenda and I’s past, it stands in the middle of this trying moment for us as a family. It is a big part of our story to be together and to enjoy the time we have.” Facing ALS snapped many areas of life into sharp focus for the family. “Legacy is something I didn’t think about that often until I was faced with the ALS diagnosis,” Nathan said. “The most powerful legacy is improving other people’s lives. My mother and father have a legacy of serving KWU with wise and excellent stewardship for the campus and school. To this point, my legacy is being part of the Stanton
family and being on the board as an alumnus. “Brenda and I share the fact we were shaped by the people and the activities on campus. My two sons choice to come to Wesleyan is part of that legacy.” In addition to Nathan, his sister, Kirsten (Stanton) Drennon graduated from KWU in 1988. His mother, Janice, served as an adjunct faculty member from 2000-02. Brenda’s family also has several KWU graduates. Her sister, Jenny Riggins, graduated from Kansas Wesleyan, and niece, Shelby Riggins, will graduate in the spring. The legacy for the Stantons and extended family began with Marshall’s tenure on the Board of Trustees and continued into his presidency. “When I think of legacy, the thing that comes to mind is going from survival to thriving,” Marshall said. “The main legacy is that the institution was near a precipice, and
it not only survived but thrived.” In September, KWU celebrated its 135th birthday and he is optimistic about KWU’s trajectory. “I think the institution is flourishing on every front,” Marshall said. “Matt [Thompson] has done a remarkable job of developing the institution — going in depth in the ways the institution was already going. It’s just phenomenal.” As Noah and Isaac continue their academic trajectory, Nathan continues to serve on the Board of Trustees. “The future is bright,” Nathan said. “I take a lot of pride in the fact the campus has been able to pivot after several events through my time on the board that weaker colleges would have been hurt terminally. What I have seen is the college, coaches and campus administration show the grit and resilience to come out on the other side with strength.” By Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
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EVENTS ON 9/11 SHAPED KWU'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM W
hat began as a nondescript Tuesday morning became memorable, and helped to define and shape the Emergency Management program at Kansas Wesleyan. “I was teaching and a professor came into the class with the comment, ‘I think we might be at war,’” Professor John Burchill said. “The initial reaction from everyone was, ‘Is this a joke?’ It was hard to digest.” He returned to his lecture, and after his 8 a.m. class on Sept. 11, 2001, dismissed, Burchill said it was obvious that something was going on. “You saw people congregated around radios and stuff; you started to get a sense that something coordinated was happening,” Burchill said. “They had a TV in the student center [which is the current music lounge]. The whole student center was standing room only between classes, watching the news and watching what happened.” As a professor in Emergency Management, with many years of law enforcement experience, he knew the terrorist attacks on the east coast would have a significant effect, locally and globally. “We had a campus-wide meeting in Sams Chapel. The idea was to make sure everybody understood how the flow of information and communication would go, to stop rumors from going around,” Burchill said. “It was also important to be sure we were meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of the students, staff and faculty.” This included collaborating with the University United Methodist Church, located just north of KWU’s campus.
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“They opened up their sanctuary the rest of the week,” Burchill said. “It was open to anybody that wanted to drop in to pray or reflect. You saw students, staff, faculty head over there. “What I thought most amazing thing was I saw a semi-truck stop, back up and the driver got out and went into the chapel. He saw the sign we placed outside and wanted to go in and pray. What happened impacted people physically, spiritually and emotionally.” As the faculty and staff addressed the immediate concerns, such as assisting students from out of state, President Marshall Stanton also looked to the future. “The president asked me what should be the Criminal Justice response,” Burchill said. “We already had a special topic [where we discussed] terrorism [in class]. I told President Stanton that we would take more of a ‘wait and study’ attitude. With this, there would be changes, [the responding agencies] would realize the mistakes [after the fact].” He said some schools immediately reacted and rolled out degrees in Homeland Security. Burchill, however, opted to conduct listening sessions. “I had a series of meetings with FEMA and different government agencies. As I went to government agencies, they said, ‘You tell me what the curriculum should look like,’” Burchill said. “Some years after the event, we proposed the Emergency Management degree at Kansas Wesleyan.” While a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management seemed trendy at the time, Kansas Wesleyan is the only Kansas university to still
offer it. Because he paused before rolling out a formal degree, Burchill had time to research the best options. “I went to Oklahoma City and visited with people there [who worked on the 1995 bombing of the federal building]. I talked to first responders, people that went through it, to figure out what was needed,” Burchill said. “I’ve been to Scotland Yard and visited with their antiterrorism people. Law enforcement has changed globally. “The whole Criminal Justice field changed in the time it took six people with box cutters to enter into a cockpit [on 9/11]. Using jet planes as weapons of mass destruction wasn’t thought of [before then].” The terrorist attacks on that day represented a shift in ideology. “You don’t see fanaticism in a historically typical criminal,” Burchill said. “[Previously], you were trying to figure out who did the crime, but also motive and opportunity. You have to realize, in terrorism, you’re looking at a whole different set of criteria.” As crime evolved, so did law enforcement. And hard lessons were learned. “What we learned from 9/11 among federal agencies was that there wasn’t a sharing of information,” Burchill said. “A whole bunch of people had different pieces of a puzzle. They didn’t put them on the same table. You didn’t see enough of a picture. “There were different agencies in New York and Washington, D.C., and they couldn’t talk to each other on radios [because of differences in technology].” This held true with local agencies as well.
“Until recently, a Salina Sheriff’s deputy could be on one side of a flood or fire and see a Kansas Highway Patrol officer, but not be able to talk to them [because they had different radios],” Burchill said. “A follow-up and a lesson learned from 9/11 was that different responding communities need to be able to communicate.” Taking all of these lessons, Burchill crafted a curriculum for Emergency Management. The core classes were expanded and a bachelor’s degree was added in 2013. As the program grew, so did the available resources on campus. Following the inception of the Emergency Management degree, KWU opened its on-campus Emergency Operations Center [EOC] in 2018. Bernard Botson ’18, KWU’s newest assistant professor of Emergency Management, said
Kansas Wesleyan’s Emergency Management program grew from events that happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Pictured from left are Saline County Emergency Manger Michelle Barkley ’18, Associate Professor John Burchill ’80 and Assistant Professor Bernard Botson ’18. Photo by Karen Bonar
“Emergency management changes every four to five years. 9/11 changed it. Hurricane Katrina changed it. COVID-19 will change the face of Emergency Management forever.” — Professor Bernard Botson ’18
the EOC is an essential component of the degree. “It’s a lab, like Dr. [Dorothy] Hanna’s physics lab. This is our emergency management lab. We do real-world drills,” he said. “It mirrors what is going to happen when students get out of here and get a job in emergency management.”
Meanwhile, one essential aspect of Kansas Wesleyan’s program is its comprehensive approach. “We immediately got a lot of attention for our program. We covered the spiritual, emotional and physical side, as well as what you would expect,” Burchill said. “We also encompassed how to use
volunteers.” Botson was in the Air Force for 33 years before he retired and began teaching at KWU. “I’m weaving real world, practical experience with academia,” he said. “I tell them the theory, but there is the aspect of why these theories exist — the real world, keep-you-alive stuff.” One challenging aspect is the ever-changing nature of the field. “In Criminal Justice, when something happens in the news, the curriculum goes out the window and we cover it in class,” Burchill said. “When George Floyd died, it didn’t matter what was on the syllabus that day. We covered it because it was in
the news, and then you apply that. It happens frequently in Criminal Justice. “Probably the biggest threat to law enforcement right now is the lone wolf — an individual acting alone — involved with mass shootings. They still pose an extreme danger, but they’re usually not top on the radar.” Ease of access to information across the Internet also adds layers of complexity to the job. “With 24/7 worldwide media and the internet, communication has changed,” Burchill said. “Law enforcement has to be able to utilize and monitor all the social media. “It’s easier to travel globally, and it means
smaller groups can have a bigger impact. We also have to realize the motivations of extremists are different than the typical criminal. A terrorist doesn’t care if they’re caught. Martyrdom sometimes is something to be desired. They’re fueled not by making money, but by an ideology.” While some academic fields evolve slowly, Emergency Management continues to rapidly change. “Emergency management changes every four to five years,” Botson said. “9/11 changed it. Hurricane Katrina changed it. COVID-19 will change the face of Emergency Management forever.”
By Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
CONTACT 19
Military experience forms alumnus The information void in emergency management was one that Professor Bernard Botson ’18 witnessed first-hand on Sept. 11, 2001. On that crisp September morning, he was the assistant chief of training for the 177th Fire Wing Fire Department at the Atlantic City, N.J. International Airport. As a member of the Air National Guard unit that cohabitated with the airport, he was setting up the classroom for a day of training. “An on-duty firefighter came in and opened the door and said, ‘A plane hit the World Trade Center,’” Botson said. “We thought it was a small plane, that it was no big deal. “A little while later, he came flying back in the room and said, ‘A second plane hit the second tower, the United States is under attack.’” Some of the members of the base were sent to New York City. Others were ordered to the runway. “We were at peace, so they didn’t have guns and bullets loaded [on the jets],” Botson said. “All of a sudden, we have to load these airplanes. “You don’t load the guns, missiles and fuel simultaneously. When I got to the runway, a pilot was strapped in, and they were fueling it and loading a gun on one of them. I asked the cop at the gate [about the change in protocol], and he said, ‘The rules are out the window.’” The pilot was sent airborne to assist and protect the northeast sector of the U.S. “Once we start loading, we’re not allowed to talk on the radios,” Botson said of Air Force protocol. “We were listening on the transistor radio and heard reports of up to 15 targets. We heard about the plane down north of Camp David, and that the Pentagon took direct hit.” The pilots, however, were on a different radio
system and heard none of the information. “I ran up the airplane and handed the note to the pilot, and he hands me the note to go hand it to the wingman because they can’t talk on the radio. They were getting info from me on a notepad via the radio,” Botson said. “It was surreal. There was an information void. “There was no checklist, no protocols, no handbook. We were making it up as we went along. It was high risk.” About 120 miles from the Twin Towers, the Atlantic City airport filled multiple roles on that day. The MAINEiacs, the 101st Air Refueling Wing from Maine, landed a refueling plane to fill up. “They had four fuel trucks fueling a KC135. I had never seen that much gas put in an airplane in my life,” Botson said. “They were going to tank all the [military] airplanes over New York, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. They were taking bags of sandwiches, and soda and water, pushing them up the crew door because nobody knew how long they would be flying.” The airport served dual roles on that day: support the military operations and commercial airliners. “With a 12,000 foot runway at the Atlantic City Airport, all these planes were landing,” he said. “All of the airplanes landed immediately; nobody landed where they were supposed to.” The enormity of the moment hit him. “I remember thinking, ‘This is bigger than Pearl Harbor,’” Botson said. “I knew at that moment my life changed forever. I went back on active duty and never looked back. It changed my life.” On 9/11, Botson was 40 years old. Half of his life, to that point, was spent in the military. By the end of the day, he received verbal orders for a two-year service commitment.
Professor Bernard Botson served for more than 33 years in the military, and was working with the Air National Guard on Sept. 11, 2001. He is pictured at the Redding Air Show in Pennsylvania in 1984 with CH53A, Marine Mike Tango 401 helicopter. He continued actively in the military and was on the ground in Iraq in 2003 shortly before the invasion began. Botson’s military service brought him to Salina in 2009, where he worked as a 284th ASOS at the Smoky Hill Bombing Range. Upon military retirement, he transitioned to the deputy director of emergency management for Saline County from 2014-21. Botson said each county in Kansas is required to have an office of emergency management and most require professional degrees. Botson’s experiences, that span more than three decades of military and professional, are utilized as
Emergencies shape career
Her childhood memories of the Twin Towers falling are fleeting, but events from that day continue to shape Michelle Barkley’s ’18 profession in emergency management. “I was in first grade,” she said. “I remember my teacher was crying, and we stopped and turned on the TV in the classroom.” In her youth, she never considered a career in Emergency Management. As a California native, however, she witnessed the importance of the work first hand. “In southern California, we had wildfires every year,” Barkley said. “The first time I had to evacuate was in sixth grade. I remember seeing all of the apparatus, all the personnel required to make sure all of the residents got out of the community safely.”
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Yet when she entered Kansas Wesleyan University as a student in 2015, she had her sights set on a career in nursing and pediatric oncology. “The first week of class, my dad called and told me my 20-year-old brother had been Michelle diagnosed with leukemia,” Barkley ’18 Barkley said. “Studying nursing was too close to home.” She turned to a trusted professor, John Burchill, for advice. “Burchill said, ‘I have this major that’s relatively new, with not a lot of people in it. Why don’t you give it a shot?’” Barkley said. “Throughout the
semester, I realized that Emergency Management was a central place that made all of those agencies and organizations collaborate. It was interesting to learn the background of what made all of that possible.” She immersed herself in KWU’s new bachelor’s program, which included internships locally and in Wisconsin. During Barkley’s time at Kansas Wesleyan, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) opened on campus. “If you’ve never seen one, it’s incredible to see,” Barkley said of KWU’s EOC. “It’s a great resource to students, especially with how hands-on the program is.” The operations center on campus serves as a backup EOC for Saline County. Spending time in the EOC on campus, as well
“There was no checklist, no protocols, no handbook. We were making it up as we went along. It was high risk. I remember thinking, ‘This is bigger than Pearl Harbor. I knew at that moment my life changed forever.” — Professor Bernard Botson ’18 he teaches. “9/11 and Hurricane Katrina were defining moments in emergency management,” Botson said. “Air Force firefighters couldn’t talk to Air Force firefighters on Ground Zero [or during the flooding after the hurricane]. Now we have international channels and can communicate.” He completed his degree at Kansas Wesleyan in 2018 and was hired as assistant professor of emergency management this fall. “I knew by the end of my first semester that I’d be a professor here,” Botson said. “I fell in love with the small campus. I want to help the students flourish, survive and operate in a stressful career.” By Karen Bonar
as hands-on assignments, helped prepare Barkley to hit the ground running when she began as the Director of Emergency Management for Saline County in 2019. “About five days after I started, we experienced major flooding,” she said. “For the recovery process, there were six to eight months of meetings with FEMA. Shortly after, in December, we had a call from the health department to begin talking about COVID-19. We started to meet and talk about it in January 2020. In March, we had our first major kickoff meeting. COVID has brought to light a lot of gaps that we have, not only as emergency management, but as a county.” Barkley was recognized by the Kansas Emergency Management Association. She received the 2020 Col. Mahlon G. Weed Outstanding New Emergency Management Professional Award. By Karen Bonar
Theatre professor recalls experience of living in New Jersey during 9/11 The memories of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center still linger in Karen Babcock Brassea’s mind. “I was watching the planes fly into the towers, watching all of it. It was so shocking,” she said. KWU’s Theatre professor was in her New Jersey home, less than an hour away from New York City. “I watched [on TV] for a few minutes, then I was trying to reach people on the phone. It was terrifying,” she said. “You couldn’t get through to anyone in New York City. I went outside to see if my friends in the neighborhood were OK, if they had anyone in the Twin Towers.” Babcock Brassea and her husband, Bill, both worked on Broadway until 2001, when health complications for Bill shifted the couple’s focus to other areas. For Bill, it meant taking a new job in sales. His first day was on Sept. 11, 2001, and he flew to Los Angeles for training the day before. “[The attack happened] in New York, then we heard about Flight 93, so it felt like, ‘Oh no, LA is going to be next,’ and my husband was on the opposite side of the country,” Babcock Brassea said. “I didn’t know how long it would be before I would see my husband again because flights weren’t going.” Equally alarming was the proximity and feeling of it being a near-miss. “It was close enough that it could affect us,” Babcock Brassea said. ““We could have been in New York City. If Billy hadn’t [had health issues], he could have been in a rehearsal. I could have been in rehearsal if it had been a slightly different time in our life. It was startling. We didn’t feel safe anymore.” The atmosphere on the east
Photo by Karen Bonar
Karen Babcock Brassea, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, is pictured with her husband, Bill Brassea. coast was surreal. “There was a lot of fear and paralysis at that time,” Babcock Brassea said. “We heard the stories of friends who were sick and didn’t go to work that day, or late to work that morning and weren’t in the buildings when the planes hit.” One particularly strong memory involves driving on Route 287, toward New York City. “You were driving and wondered, ‘What’s that smell?,’ and then you could see smoke. You could smell the Twin Towers burning, which is a horrific thing,” Babcock Brassea said. “Shortly after that, they put up the two lights and we could see them. “For awhile, I didn’t want to go to Ground Zero at all. Finally, we went down there. I couldn’t even speak.” Prior to the attacks, Babcock Brassea transitioned from performing on the stage to teaching at an acting conservatory and working with several dance studios. “There were exercises I couldn’t do with kids,” she said. “In acting class, I used to do an elevator exercise — it’s behavior with subtext in an elevator next
to strangers. I couldn’t do those kinds of exercises because I didn’t know how the children had been affected by 9/11.” The days and weeks that followed shifted everyone’s perspective. “It was a different feeling about your country,” Babcock Brassea said of the surge of patriotism. “Everybody in the tri-state went out and bought American flags and displayed them. When I was hanging my flag outside, I was thinking about people who shed blood for our freedom and how this event was going to affect our freedom.” In the years since the attacks, Babcock Brassea began working at KWU in 2015. While the memories of the events on that Tuesday 20 years ago seem fresh in her mind, Babcock Brassea said the experience is not always familiar with students. “I will be talking about something in history, and 9/11 will come up. Most of my students weren’t born yet. That’s eye-opening,” she said. “That’s when I know I’ve lived some life. There’s recognition that ‘They’ll never know.’” By Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
CONTACT 21
PROFESSOR REFLECTS ON 25 YEARS WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM W
Alumnus will leave behind deep-reaching legacy
hen his life’s circumstances abruptly changed, Professor John Burchill ’80 did not anticipate his career turning into a 25-year-tenure at Kansas Wesleyan University as a professor of Criminal Justice. “My son was diagnosed with a serious medical condition, and the job I had [before KWU] covered a bunch of counties,” he said. “It seemed like it was time to change to a job that allowed me to spend more time with my family.” Shortly after he and his wife decided a career change was necessary, Burchill was contacted to help Kansas Wesleyan in its search for a Criminal Justice Professor. “I said, ‘The search is done, what do you need?’” he said. “I was qualified. I had a master’s degree. I could teach right away. “I was up front and honest with them, and said, ‘I can guarantee you a year.’” That one-year promise, which turned into a quarter-of-a-century dedication to Kansas Wesleyan and its students, concludes in the spring when Burchill will retire. “When you’re a faculty member you have to be in love with the art of sowing the seeds [of knowledge], knowing you’re not going to see the harvest,” he said. “The students leave, and you hope you gave them the knowledge, skills and competencies to go on.” As an alumnus of the university, Burchill knows firsthand the life skills that are taught in Kansas Wesleyan classrooms. “A class I thought I’d never use, I ended up using on my first day of my
22 CONTACT | Fall 2021
first job,” he said. Burchill, while dealing with an alleged drug dealer, applied his knowledge of Philosophy to counteract claims made by the suspect regarding his drug use being acceptable under the teachings of the philosopher, Castenada. “What drew me [back] to Kansas Wesleyan was that I knew it provided me an education that served me well in my career,” he said. “They provided me something, and this gave me a chance to provide back. “I always feel the biggest accomplishment when I hear from students, and they have similar stories to me — that their education prepared them well.” This sentiment is reciprocal. “The only thing that would outshine his passion for law and teaching is the commitment he had to his students and helping shape them and helping them find the answers they were looking for,” said Kristopher Casper ’05, one of Burchill’s former students and current sheriff of Wichita County. “He wasn’t an easy teacher, that’s for sure, but he cared about you learning, and he made sure you did.” When he arrived at KWU as a professor, Burchill brought with him a strong background of field experience in criminal justice, which provided him a variety of lessons to prepare his students for their future careers. Prior to teaching at KWU, Burchill served as a Court Services Officer for the 20th and 28th Judicial Districts, as well as Director of the 12th and 28th Judicial District Community Corrections. “The first thing that I try to tell them about are the times that I have
John Burchill’s portrait from the 1979 yearbook. failed. That’s important,” he said. “It’s okay if you trip and fall, you’re not getting fired as a student.” Burchill also emphasized the need for all his students to recognize their strengths and potential, and to not hesitate to take on roles of leadership when they arise. Shawn Mesch ’98, another of Burchill’s students, serves as the sheriff for Gove County. “He helped define who I wanted to be as a law enforcement officer,” Sheriff Mesch said. “I was there when [Burchill] started. He’s definitely taken that program from nothing into quite the Criminal Justice program.” Burchill’s student involvement seldom halted at the departmental level. “I used to be a member of the church across the street. For over 10 years, my wife and I were in charge of Buck Meal, and we would feed
students every Sunday,” he said. “A lot of the students really needed someplace to eat.” Though that program ended, Burchill continued to support his students through acts of service, such as opening his home to them on Halloween. His status as alumni and more than two dozen years as a professor provide Burchill with a unique view of KWU’s history that few on campus witnessed firsthand. “For 25 years, I’ve seen the building and grounds change here,” he said. “I was a student here during the darkest days of Wesleyan.” He recalled his student days of “deferred maintenance” on campus, when the grounds would be brown from August to Spring. “The majority of my classes were in Carnegie Science Hall, which no longer exists,” he said. “I remember it was snowing one year, and you could see a little snowdrift on the inside of the window. “[The changes are] just night and day, and it keeps going. It does me well that we’ve done this and remained financially viable. When I leave, I
File photo
Professor John Burchill ’80 gives direction during a 2020 simulation in the Emergency Operations Center.
Photo by Karen Bonar
Professor John Burchill ’80, holds a discussion with a student following a criminal justice class this fall. know that it’s in good hands.” Despite his upcoming retirement from KWU and the Criminal Justice program, Burchill still looks ahead to the program’s future. The Criminal Justice and Emergency Management programs, while under Burchill and his colleagues’ watch, continually adjusted
its curriculum to suit current events. Recent additions include a cyber-crime course that is now part of the core curriculum, as well as a class about multi-culturalism in public safety. “We are now at the cutting edge of our curriculum, and we need to continue that to stay ahead of the curve,” Burchill said.
He also said he would like to see the Criminal Justice department grow by taking part in academic competitions related to the major. With continued faculty support and the ever-evolving curriculum for the program, he sees the Criminal Justice major flourishing after he retires in the spring. As Burchill closes the door on his life as a full-time educator, he looks ahead to more personal endeavors. “Retirement is going to give me time to be a grandparent,” he said. “The idea that my wife and I can spend more time with each other is exciting as well.” Burchill and his wife, Susan ’79, met while attending Kansas Wesleyan. They will soon celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary — a celebration that Burchill attributes as just another benefit bestowed to him by the university. In addition to spending time with family, he intends to spend his time writing and publishing books relating to Criminal Justice history — three of
“In Criminal Justice there’s the Locard Exchange Principle. Anytime you enter a crime scene, you’re bringing trace evidence. Anytime you leave a crime scene, you take trace evidence with you What’s the trace evidence that I’m leaving? Honestly, the students.” — Dr. John Burchill ’80 Professor of Criminal Justice
which he already has outlined. He also foresees himself taking part in more speaking engagements throughout Kansas that he previously had to decline. As for what he wants his legacy to be at Kansas Wesleyan University, he offers an optimistic take on the purpose and long-lasting effects of all faculty that walk the KWU campus. “In Criminal Justice there’s the Locard Exchange Principle. Anytime you enter a crime scene, you’re bringing trace evidence. Anytime you leave a crime scene, you take trace evidence with you,” he said. “What’s the trace evidence that I’m leaving? “Honestly, the students. I think that, and I hope that, when students look back that they make sure that Kansas Wesleyan continues the way it is right now: the strongest, most vibrant small private college in Kansas. They remember Wesleyan not just with their memories, but with their gifts, so that it keeps going on.” By Skylar Nelson ’21
Fall 2021
CONTACT 23
The Heart of the Matter Board of Trustees chair Barry Weis ’10 brings My Heart Check to Salina
One in 100 children have a heart defect, which often show no warning signs. On average, 135 kids die every week from sudden cardiac arrest. Armed with these stats and his own personal experience, Barry Weis ’10 brought My Heart Check to Kansas Wesleyan University on Aug. 14. Weis, who was recently elected as chair of the Board of Trustees, is also a 2010 graduate of the university. He completed his bachelor’s in Business Management at the age of 47. “This is happening all around us,” he said, pointing to the 2015 incident when KWU baseball player Aaron Hurd had a heart attack while in class. Thankfully for Hurd, he was revived by classmate Rex Campbell and made a full recovery. “For most kids and student athletes, when they have Sudden Cardiac Arrest, death is their first symptom,” Weis said. The intention of the inaugural heart check event was to make echocardiograms and EKGs available at a minimal cost. Students from age 8 to 25 were eligible to participate, with scholarships available via the Strive for Life Foundation in Overland Park for those who needed them. “The My Heart Check event is looking for heart defects in kids who are asymptomatic,” Weis said. During the event, 50 children were screened. Most were students from Saline County, but Weis said one traveled from Beloit. “The parent from Beloit spent time with the My Heart Check representatives and discussed the potential for hosting an event in Beloit,” Weis said “Her husband was born with Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) and suffered a near-fatal heart
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attack while on a run a few years ago. He was saved by two strangers driving by that witnessed him collapse.” Feedback during and after the event was positive. “I received a direct message via Twitter later in the day from one parent who brought his son to be tested, and he shared his appreciation,” Weis said. “That parent also informed me he lost a child not long ago to a CHD. Honestly, this news moved me for the remainder of the event.” While many children have no symptoms, Weis, a Salina native, struggled throughout his life to get to the root of his medical issues. “Over the years, I developed tremors in my left hand, a lot of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and dizziness,” Weis said. “I had some symptoms throughout my life I guess, over time, I got used to. In the fifth grade, after a basketball game, I passed out. They never did figure out what was wrong.” He played basketball at Sacred Heart High School and baseball at Washburn University. “I just dealt with the dizziness and irregular heartbeat,” Weis said. “Sometimes it would last an hour, sometimes it would last eight hours. It literally wears you out. It just became commonplace for me. I thought it was natural.” A 2004 heart catheterization (a procedure to diagnose heart issues) did not yield a conclusive answer and his symptoms worsened. In 2010, he had severe symptoms while at work. “I went to the ER, and sure enough, my heart rate was flying all over the place,” Weis said. It was then the medical team discovered he had a Myocardial Bridge (MB), which is a congenital heart
“I received a direct message via Twitter ... from one parent who brought his son to be tested. That parent also informed me he lost a child not long ago to a Congenital Heart Defect.” — Barry Weis ’10 President, Board of Trustees defect where a coronary artery tunnels through the heart muscle. “I was born with it. Immediately after it was diagnosed, the cardiologist said, ‘I don’t see many of these,’” Weis said. The 2010 heart catheterization was able to identify the cause of his symptoms, but did not address them. “[The cardiologist] also told me surgery may be an option in the future, particularly if the symptoms worsen,” Weis said. On an April morning in 2019, he was on a morning run when the most severe episode struck. “I was running down Santa Fe, and I could see Wesleyan,” Weis said. “I felt this lightning bolt in my chest.” He made it home and subsequently to the ER. Another heart catheterization was performed, and
this time the team determined surgery was necessary to address the MB. The original intention was to repair the defect, but the artery tunneled too deep into the heart muscle. Instead, double bypass surgery was performed. During the course of that surgery, a beta blocker was ordered. Weis’ body, however, rejected the beta blocker and his heart stopped 14 times. “I remember the first time it stopped, a monitor sounded and an ICU nurse rushed into my room,” Weis wrote on his website. “She was talking to a tech who was monitoring my heart remotely. I could hear her say to the tech, ‘Are you seeing this?’ Soon a crash cart entered the room and the nurse placed two very cold AED patches on my chest. She looked at me and said, “just in case.’” With time on his hands during recovery, Weis began researching how to resume normal physical activity as quickly as possible.
NEW KWU BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEMBERS Nadim Haddad ’65 Oakton, Va.
(Retired) Manager of the Semiconductor Technology Dept. IBM
He was also a Technical Director and Engineering Fellow at BAE Systems.
Patricia Marietta ’71
Owner Holistic Health
Salina
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Chemistry. Her family has a long history of ties to KWU and the Salina community.
Brett Murray ’03 Limon, Colo.
C.O.O. and President MERCO LLC.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Kansas Wesleyan University.
Jane Philbrick ’80
Manager JBP, Inc.
Goodland
Photo by Karen Bonar
Barry Weis ’10, center, brought My Heart Check to Salina on Aug. 14. Also in attendance were David Kuluva, left, and Eric Schroeder, right, founding partners of My Heart Check. “The more I researched, the more I learned specifically about the devastating effects sudden cardiac arrest was having on kids,” he said. “I had no idea sudden cardiac arrest was the No. 1 killer of kids. Most of it is due to undiagnosed congenital heart defects. I was feeling lucky I survived everything I did.” As he researched, he began talking with parents. During these conversations, he met Eric Schroeder and David Kuluva, the founders of My Heart Check. “Brian Connell drove from Olathe to support the event,” Weis said of Connell, who assisted him. “His son suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest in May, 2019 and survived. Brian was engaging parents throughout his time at the event and shared his son’s story.”
Weis’ feeling of gratitude prompted him to found Back *N* Black (https:// www.backnblack.org/) and also bring My Heart Check to central Kansas. “Certainly, we will want to do [another event] in February, which is heart month, and also in August before back to school when kids are thinking about sports physicals,” Weis said. “My vision is to do this twice a year for as long as the community feels like there is a need.” More information and future dates will be posted at: https://myheartcheck. org/kansas-heartchecks/
She previously served a full term (nine years) on the KWU Board. She retired from teaching at the Northwest Kansas Technical College.
Edward Spears ’89 Frisco, Texas
Attorney Law Office of Edward Spears
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and earned his Juris Doctorate from the Texas A&M University School of Law.
Charles Spencer
Kansas City, Mo.
Director of Credit Review National Bank Holdings, Inc.
He is a senior executive with more than 30 years of banking experience in the areas of credit underwriting, risk and credit review.
By Karen Bonar
Weis is the newly-elected chair of the board. Please see profiles of the newest KWU Board of Trustee members, at right.
They join a distinguished group of 22 civic and business leaders who set the future of the university. Fall 2021
CONTACT 25
save the date
11th Annual
F E B R U A R Y
1 8 ,
2 0 2 2
Location: the temple in historic downtown Salina tiME: 5:30 p.m. (silent auction); 7 p.m. (program)
Join us for this special event that will benefit KWU athletics and, for the first time, music and fine arts! www.kwucoyotes.com/nightwiththeyotes
26 CONTACT | Fall 2021
New Men’s Soccer coach brings experience to KWU LeBaron Hollimon had nothing against California. He’d lived there since 2014, coaching the soccer teams at Cal State San Bernardino and the Ontario Fury. Hollimon, though, was ready to come home to Kansas. His family lived in Wichita, where he coached and was a school administrator previously, and he wanted to be closer to them. Before he could pack his bags and head east, he faced the challenge of finding a job. As fate would have it, the men’s coaching position at Kansas Wesleyan opened about the same time. Miguel Prieto, who coached the Coyotes during the hectic COVID-19 2020-21 split season, decided to return to his native California. Hollimon learned of the vacancy and called a friend who knows more than anyone about KWU soccer — former Coyote player and coach Mike Dibbini ’99, now women’s head coach at Kansas State University. Dibbini, a four-time NAIA All-America player, and later director of soccer programs at Wesleyan for eight seasons, told Hollimon what he wanted to hear. “He told me what a great place it is to work,” Hollimon said. “That was first and foremost. Then I got to know there’s a rich history with Kansas Wesleyan and a winning tradition here. Just to be able to be part of that was very intriguing.” Intriguing enough to apply for the job. A trip to Salina sealed the deal, and KWU Director of Athletics Steve Wilson announced Hollimon’s hiring on April 20. Hollimon was eager to return to the college
ranks after working with the Fury, a professional men’s indoor team. He previously was a women’s soccer assistant at Hutchinson Community College for a year and served as an administrator in the Wichita public school district. LeBaron “Being able to teach, that’s Hollimon the biggest thing for me,” Hollimon said. “Having that opportunity to take boys and turn them into young men. That’s the greatest satisfaction I get out of coaching at the collegiate level.” Hollimon says his experience as an assistant with the professionals on the Fury’s roster will benefit his work with the Coyotes. “You’re dealing with a great skill set professionally, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “That’s not to say the skill set is awful or bad at the collegiate level because you do have some who can go on and be professional players because of their skill set. “But from top to bottom the skill set is very high at the professional level. And you’re dealing with a competitive nature, a competitive spirit that’s off the chart and the players play with. It’s not uncommon to have arguments in practice because of the competitive nature. At the college level, it’s more about the team spirit and I like that.” For Hollimon, going back to coaching outside isn’t a problem either. “It’s 22 guys on the field — 11 versus 11 — but it’s never 11 against 11,” he said. “It’s always little pockets of small games going on at random
times during the game. That’s how I view it. It’s understanding those little, small games and how to infuse them into the big game.” Hollimon said his KWU teams will be aggressive on the defensive end of the pitch first and foremost. “You’ll see a team that plays with a lot of defensive energy, and that’s because it’s my primary emphasis — defending with energy,” he said. “And you’ll see a team that has a lot of possession of the ball. For me, high possession is a form of defending because you’re not having to defend as much.” Hollimon’s spring visit to Salina also gave him an opportunity to see KWU’s handsome soccer facility — Graves Family Sports Complex. “That was one of the things that attracted me when I was here,” he said. “Talking with Dibbini, he told me it’s one of the best facilities in the (Kansas Conference) and, coming here and seeing it, he wasn’t wrong.” Hollimon said his student-athletes won’t achieve success on the field without also succeeding in the classroom. “That piece is huge for me,” he said. “One of the things I take the most pride in is making sure we’re academically proficient, because the reality is, at the end of the four years, soccer is not going to pay the bills for these students. What they get with their education is going to set them up for whatever successes they might have later in life. “I completely understand that, and that’s why I push the academic side of it as much as I push the athletic side of it.” By Bob Davidson
CHINGAYA '21 RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS LEADERSHIP AWARD Kansas Wesleyan’s Shingi Chingaya ’21 was named the ITA NAIA Men’s Tennis Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner in June. “In my four years of getting to know Shingi Chingaya, this young man has blossomed into not only a great person and great leader but a great friend,” Kansas Wesleyan head tennis coach, Josh Molino, said. “He is trustworthy, he is kind, he is the light of the room; he is the son I don’t have yet. He is the face of the generation that will lead us into a society where we are all viewed equally.
“We are so lucky to have had Chingaya as part of our program and university. He has made an impact on me as a person and coach, our administration and the local community.” Shingi was an exemplary leader on and off the court, excelling throughout his four-year playing career with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in the nursing program. In addition to his responsibilities in the classroom, Chingaya served as the president of the Multicultural Student Union and the Student Nurses Organization.
Chingaya now continues to influence the community in a positive way as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Salina Regional Health Center. During the summers, he would often go back to his home state of Texas, teaching tennis to youth and most recently had 28 children attending his summer camps. While helping create the Black History Month events across campus last February, Chingaya stood as the voice for many, highlighting the plight of many African Americans in today’s society.
Shingi embodies the spirit of Arthur Ashe — a true servant leader who practices acts of selflessness for the greater good in hopes of a global, inclusive and transformative society. The prestigious Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to men’s and women’s student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements in ways that embody the legacy of tennis icon and humanitarian Arthur Ashe Jr. Fall 2021
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KWU memories prompt nursing scholarship gift When Barbara Livergood gave birth to her third child on March 20, 1972, her fellow nursing students were in the room with her. “Some asked, ‘Can we come to watch?’” she said. “They had been through the OB rotation, and we were all girls, all buddies, so they were there. “I was exactly 10 years older than my classmates, and [my youngest] was the class baby.” Her path to nursing began at the age of 16, when she began working as a nurse’s aid at the Geary County Hospital in Junction City. “I was the first and only nurse’s aide to work in intensive care, so I learned a lot on the job,” Livergood said. She took the next step and pursued her degree in nursing upon high school graduation, but ran into a hitch. “My boyfriend and I got married so he wouldn’t have to go to Vietnam, but at that time, you were kicked out of school if you got married,” Livergood said. “I was a week away from finals, and they wouldn’t let me take them.” She worked as a nurse’s aide at St.
John’s Hospital in Salina for about four years. She and her husband had two children, and he suggested she consider returning to nursing school. Livergood approached Asbury School of Nursing and inquired about the process. “They asked if I had high school transcripts; they didn’t care that I was married,” Livergood said. “There were two other married students in my class at the time.” The Asbury School of Nursing had a partnership with Kansas Wesleyan University. Nursing students attended KWU for the first year of the threeyear program for courses such as biology, chemistry and English. As a non-traditional student, Livergood said she wasn’t involved in many typical activities, but her family built memories on campus. “My first two kids learned to ride their bicycles over on the tennis courts,” she said. During the summer of 1971, Livergood said she thought she was pregnant. Because of her previous experience of being ejected from nursing school over getting married, she was afraid she would be asked to
Barbara Livergood leave on account of the pregnancy. “They let us stay in school,” she said. “Our blocks were 12 weeks long. I skipped one block and took it with the class behind me.” She attended KWU from fall of 1970 to Spring of 1971 and finished her final two years at Asbury in 1973. Upon graduation, her family returned to Topeka, where she worked for 36 years as a nurse. She was the head nurse at the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus in
Topeka upon her 2009 retirement. Continuing the legacy of nursing is something Livergood said she values. “I know nursing is not what it used to be, but I still think we’re always going to need nurses,” she said. “When I was young, girls were either a teacher or a nurse. Nowadays there are so many options, it’s hard to get enough nurses to take care of all of us. If I can help one person be a nurse, that’s important.” With this in mind, Livergood contributed to the annual scholarship fund for nursing. “The last year or two, in the back of my mind, I thought, ‘I have everything I need, everything I want,’ so I thought I would do the scholarship,” Livergood said. “My only criteria is that I would like that scholarship to go to a mother, since both my daughter and I went to nursing school as mothers.” Kansas Wesleyan University offers multiple nursing scholarships, as well as legacy scholarships for children of alumni of Asbury School of Nursing. For more information, visit https:// www.kwu.edu/scholarships.
By Karen Bonar
Save the Date!
SPRING ALUMNI, FAMILY & COMMUNITY WEEKEND APRIL 21-24, 2022
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE: Theatre Production | Campus Tours | Alumni College Lilac and Geranium Sale | 7x7x7 Lecture Series | KWU On Tap 5KWU Fun Run and Walk | Youth Clinics | Alive Worship Service KWU Photo Booth | Alumni Council Meeting Coyote Family Picnic | KWU Family Activities | Scholarship Gala
Stay up-to-date: www.kwu.edu/springweekend
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Alumna has chemistry with salt For 39 years, salt has been Jeanette Googe’s ’82 business of choice. With her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree, she began her career at Carey Salt Company in Hutchinson immediately after graduating from Kansas Wesleyan. During Googe’s tenure, the Carey Salt Company changed hands five times, two of which resulted in the company’s renaming and rebranding — first, to the Hutchinson Salt Company and, later, to the North American Salt Company. Despite these changes, she worked as a quality assurance chemist at the ever-evolving company for 24 years. “I was responsible for analyzing their salt products,” she said. “Back in the early part of my career, salt was just salt. There weren’t as many food regulations. “We failed an audit when I was [at Carey Salt] because we didn’t have the tools necessary to make a proper product. We had to come up with
ways to make our products food safe.” As those guidelines developed, Googe took initiative in bettering the company and its products for all that consume them. During her time at that same facility, she received a Chairman’s Top 20 award for the improvements she made, such as hiring audit groups to regularly survey their facility, that would assure the company did not fail another audit. Today, Googe acts as quality assurance manager at Morton Salt Company. This is her 15th year in this position. While she no longer works directly in the chemistry lab, the subject of chemistry remains integral to her role. “Chemistry helps us to understand the impurity in salt and meet specifications. We have an additive we put into the brine, which changes the salt crystal,” she said. “Once you understand the chemistry and analytic work, you can develop all sorts of products.”
The Hutchinson branch of Morton Salt Company, Googe said, sends much of its product off to large brand food companies, such as Kraft and General Mills. The company’s salt also finds use in cleaning products, such as dish soap, and in water softeners. While studying at Kansas Wesleyan, Googe participated in the sorority Delta Kappa Phi and played softball. Academics, however, appealed to her most. “The thing that I really liked most about Kansas Wesleyan, I had oneon-one conversations with advisors and instructors,” she said. “There were a lot of different classes to choose from as electives so I could have that additional knowledge base.” Recently, Googe visited her alma mater to recruit for Morton Salt Company from Kansas Wesleyan University’s pool of students. While she said she enjoyed coming back to see the campus, one moment stood out to her.
Jeanette Googe ’82 visited the KWU chemistry lab in the spring. “I got to see the actual organic chemistry bench that I used as a student,” she said. Despite the changes made to campus since Googe graduated in 1982, a piece of her history — and university history — remains. By Skylar Nelson ’21
Internship, community service, led to career A
relationship with Christ and a call to ministry led Chad Young ’06 to Kansas Wesleyan University as a non-traditional student. “I was going back to school because I knew I had a ministry calling,” said Young, who is the executive director of the Salina Rescue Mission. “I wanted to grow in my relationship with the Lord and at the same time grow as a person and complete my education.” He returned to college at the age of 32; he transferred to KWU at the age of 34 to complete his bachelor’s. “I began volunteering at the mission partly to fulfill my volunteer requirements for Kansas Wesleyan, but also because of my own past. I struggled most of my life with drug and alcohol addiction,” Young said. “I started looking for places to volunteer that were connected with my passions. I connected with what was going on here — the ministry of helping others.” The mission is a 76-bed facility that provides a place for homeless men
to sleep, as well as offers lunch and dinner to anyone in the community who needs it on a daily basis. Young said Chad Young homelessness might not be overtly visible, but it’s a reality in Salina. “There are hundreds of homeless people in Salina. The perception is, ‘Because I don’t see them, we don’t have a skid row. Because we don’t have a skid row, it must not be that big of a problem,’” Young said. “Homelessness comes in many forms. There are people who are homeless but are sheltered. Some we don’t see because they’re staying in hotel rooms or sleeping on a friend’s couch tonight. And they don’t know whose house they will sleep at tomorrow night. “A lot of our homeless people try to stay out of the sight of the public. They try not to draw attention to
themselves.” Kansas Wesleyan was the right fit for his education because it offered a religious, academic atmosphere. “Faith-based learning was important because of my calling from God to be in ministry,” Young said. During his senior year, Young was the pastor at Mentor United Methodist Church, a position he continued through his first year of seminary studies. “While I was in seminary, I traveled back and forth to Kansas City during the week,” Young said. “I was feeling a little burned out. I talked to my wife about it, and we agreed I need to do something I really enjoy doing. I missed my time volunteering at the mission, so I started again. “As I was walking through that, I realized my calling was here at the mission.” In 2007, he began working as the operations director, a position he held for nine years before being promoted to executive director in 2016. “Our mission is to rescue and restore,” Young said. “We help rescue
them out of the life situation they’re in, help them to get a better grasp of the issues in their life and help them to develop the strategies and coping skills they need to overcome their obstacles, to help them get back on their own two feet. We do it all showing God’s love and grace to those who come here. Hopefully we can plant some seeds to help them grow in their relationship with Christ.” Over the course of his work at the mission, Young said he realized it isn’t only the clients who are served. “We also help people in the community fulfill their higher calling to serve God,” he said. “We see a lot of our donors and volunteers grow in their relationship with Christ through their experience with the mission.” His experience at KWU assisted. “I was committed to growing in my faith, learning to serve God and to help other people in the community,” Young said. “Kansas Wesleyan gave me the structure and foundation I needed to do that.” By Karen Bonar
Fall 2021
CONTACT 29
FAMILY TIES RUN DEEP Multiple generations of the Calcote/Mayo family are KWU graduates
Home is where the heart is, and for Victor ’66 (Vic) and Eileen Calcote ’64, Kansas Wesleyan is home. There, they met each other, earned degrees and made fond memories alongside family. Vic was a pre-medical student on his way to the University of Kansas in 1961 when his younger sister decided to take a detour through Salina. She planned to spend the next four years at KWU. Vic was just along for the ride, agreeing to visit the campus with her before continuing to Lawrence. “We came by Wesleyan just for her sake,” he recalled. “I had no interest in Wesleyan at all.” However, Vic’s interest piqued when he began talking to an administrator. The conversation, the quaint campus and the atmosphere of downtown Salina all played a factor in drawing Vic to KWU. “I look back on it, and I just think it was a God thing,” he said. “That’s where I was supposed to be.” Ironically, Vic’s sister transferred out of KWU after one year. He also decided not to pursue medical school, but neither of those occurrences changed his mind about Kansas Wesleyan. By that point, he had already met Eileen, and she wasn’t going anywhere else but KWU, so neither was he. Eileen’s family history with Kansas Wesleyan dates all the way back to the beginning. Her great-great uncle, Henry Mayo, was the first graduate of KWU in 1887. Henry’s great-nephew, Charles Mayo ’40, met her father, Eldon Stephenson ’40, at KWU, took him home for the weekend and introduced him to his future wife, Lois Mayo, who was the future mother of Eileen. In addition to being connected to one of KWU’s first graduates, Eileen is also related to one of its most wellknown alumni — former governor of Kansas, Bill Graves ’76. She and the statesman are second cousins. However, with Eileen being five years
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Vic ’66 and Eileen ’64 Calcote have deep family ties to Kansas Wesleyan University.
Bruce D. Mayo
Jonathan A. Mayo
older, their time at KWU did not overlap. With her deep-rooted family tree and strong ties to Salina and the United Methodist Church, Eileen says she did not consider any other colleges. “I loved [going to] school there, and I have so many good memories there,” she said. “And I guess I met Vic there, and I still like it.” Vic vividly remembers spotting Eileen during one of his first classes inside Sams Chapel in 1961. After inquiring about her, he found himself attending events simply because he knew she would be there. One night, he struck up the nerve to ask her if she wanted to get a Coke at the A&W in town. From there, it was love at
Henry Mayo, KWU’s first graduate is Eileen’s greatgreat uncle.
William Henry Graves
Gov. Bill Graves
first sight — for Vic, at least. Eileen eventually came around, though. “He was a Christian and that was important to me,” she stated. “He was very intelligent and a good student. I always valued education and a seriousness about learning, and that was attractive to me.” The two got married in 1963, and Eileen earned her degree in elementary education the following year. Vic took a year off, putting in long hours at the Salina Journal as an editor prior to completing his bachelor’s degree in secondary education. In his final semester, Vic was hired on as a news director with the local television affiliate in Salina. After he graduated, the couple moved to
Wichita in 1966 when Vic landed a gig with Channel 10 News. Vic soon left TV and took up his passion for coaching basketball. He coached high school basketball for nine years, but there was a higher calling he could not ignore. “For 10 or 12 years, I kept having this pull on my life to be a pastor and I kept putting it off,” he said. “And I kept saying ‘No, I don’t want to do that. I like coaching basketball.’” Vic answered the call in 1975, and 46 years later he continues to serve as a pastor — and still finds time to coach basketball. Vic and Eileen have two daughters. Teresa ’88 graduated from KWU with a degree in Chemistry. Their younger daughter, Tracy, also attended KWU for two years. With the university having such a huge impact on their family, Vic and Eileen decided to start an endowed scholarship for the women’s basketball program last spring. “Wesleyan has a very special place in our hearts, so we’ve always wanted to do something,” Vic said. Eileen refers to KWU and Salina as the “rock of her life,” with so much of her personal and spiritual development taking place there. She and Vic want to see KWU continue to thrive in every aspect, from enrollment and academics to the arts and athletics. “I want [Kansas Wesleyan] to be sure and hold onto that Christian background and foundation that they have,” she said. “That’s a very important part of the college, and it is very hard to find that in college life, too.” “I think there is a strong place in our nation today for teaching lifestyle, teaching Christ, teaching Christianity and making that a rock to build a life on,” Vic added. “I think small church colleges have a great place in our society, and I want to see Wesleyan be at the forefront of that movement.”
By Eric Brown
Class Notes If you have updates for class notes, please contact the Advancement Office at (785) 833-4341 or alumni@kwu.edu.
1970s
Ron Smith ’73, has a new author’s website at https://deanhallidaysmith.com/ Smith was a history major at KWU and that was the background for his first two books shown on the website. A third book, “A Touch of Elbows,” is a western murder trial set in frontier Kansas in 1888.
1980s
Dale Swindler ’82, and his wife Glenda moved to Ocean Shores, WA on July 1. He still works remotely for Eagle Technologies which started at KWU as Eagle Software on Oct. 1, 1981. Brian Bray ’88, Jefferson City, MO, started a freelance writing career, writing plays for community theatre and adapting a Stephen King short story into a screenplay.
1990s
Calvin Brown ’93, Littleton, CO, was promoted to Training Lieutenant/Volunteer Coordinator in March 2020. He is in charge of all the new hire and incumbent training. He received his master’s in Organization Leadership from Colorado State University in 2014 and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy (NFA) Managing Officer Program in 2017. Gokmen (Skyman) Kurtoglu ’99, lives in Mersin, Turkey. An entrepreneur, he is married with two children.
2000s
Dr. Kristen L. Becker, MLS, MBA, EdD ’00 & ’19, received a $75,000 grant from the Jane Nelson Institute of Women's Leadership at Texas Woman’s University for a research study on Strategic Planning in community-based organizations. The grant will allow Dr. Becker to identify the role culture and ethics play in strategic planning and develop a strategic planning instrument for community-based organizations such as libraries, museums and other non-profits. Sarah (Vanek) Kromer ’05, was awarded with the KSPE Engineering Teacher of the Year Award for the 2020-21 school year. It was her final year of teaching. She and her husband opened several
Scooter’s Coffee kiosks in 2021: Valley Center and another in Independence, KS.
2010s
Irma Diaz ’11, Salina, is a Financial Aid Specialist at KWU. Claire Massey ’G21 and Coleman Houk ’19, were married on Oct. 24, 2020. Both are employed at Kansas Wesleyan University — Claire as the Director of Recruitment, Alumni and Parent Engagement and Coleman as the Men’s Golf Coach. Nathan Harden ’18 has moved to McPherson, KS, and is working for the FDIC as a bank examiner. Patrick Linton ’18, Houston, is a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual.
2020s
Jacob Olofson ’20 and Madeline Valdes ’21 were married on March 6, 2021. Madeline is pursuing her Master of Science in Athletic Training at the University of Texas at Arlington. Skylar Nelson ’21, Bennington, KS, is a Communications Specialist at KWU. Valaree Reyes ’21, Round Rock, Texas, is an Admissions Counselor at KWU.
Dr. Donald (Don) Donaldson ’60, Ft. Wayne, IN, passed away June 21, 2021. Dr. Donaldson was Professor of Music Education and Choral Studies at KWU from 1978-84. Beth Eloise (Hodgson) Lynch ’61, Prairie Village, formerly of Salina, passed away April 1, 2021. Dennis Houdek ’62, Newton, KS, passed away July 4, 2020. Brian W. Hogan ’63, Kent, WA, passed away Sept. 11, 2021. Phyllis A. Lewis ’64, Pittsburg, KS, formerly of Abilene, passed away March 15, 2021. Michael A. Smith ’65, Flagler Beach, FL, passed away July 22, 2021. Elaine (Slavik) Pfeifer ’70, Marysville, KS, passed away Nov. 22, 2020. Henry O’Neill ’70, Virginia Beach, VA, passed away Sept. 8, 2021. Barbara “Barb” (Barker) Hay ’72, Council Grove, KS, passed away April 13, 2020. Rev. Nancy (Beaman) Powers ’74, Muskegon, MI, passed away Sept. 27, 2020. Janet (Salmans) Boren ’75, Overland Park, KS, passed away Aug. 7, 2021. Karen Sue (Moore) Wells ’84, Olathe, KS, passed away Sept. 7, 2021. Carla Rene’ Schneider ’91, Salina, passed away April 14, 2021. Julie A. (Miles) Allen ’92, Salina, passed away April 14, 2021. Richard D. Turner ’93, Hanover, KS, passed away April 8, 2021.
In Memoriam
Landon (Captain) Livingston ’16, passed away on Oct. 18, 2021 in Grand View, MO.
Alice (Fetrow) Varney ’41, Springdale, AR, passed away July 14, 2021. Alice met her husband, James, at KWU and they were married 72 years prior to his passing.
FACULTY/STAFF:
Rev. Ruth Ellen (Feldmann) Pittenger ’52, Sioux Falls, SD, passed away Feb. 28, 2021. Donald Hogg ’53, Wichita, passed away May 31, 2020. Norman “Norm” Avery ’59, Denver, husband of Eleanor (Curry) Avery, passed away June 3, 2021. Rev. Bruce Marshall ’60, Spring Hill, KS, passed away June 3, 2021. Eugene Sheets ’60, Saginaw, MI, passed away March 29, 2021.
Brandon Roy “Dean” Baker, Salina, passed away June 6, 2021. Brandon was the Director of Player Morale for KWU Football. Timothy E. Landon, Canton, MI, passed away April 1, 2021. Dr. Landon was a former professor at KWU. Dr. Roy L. Smith, Jr., Sun City, AZ, passed away Aug. 11, 2021. Dr. Smith was a professor of Business at KWU from 1986-91. Kansas Wesleyan University takes pride in its alumni, and the Class Notes section is dedicated for alumni to share the news of their lives and achievements. Publication of announcements provided to us by our alumni does not necessarily imply an endorsement by KWU. Fall 2021
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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit 122 Salina, KS 67401
100 E. Claflin Ave. Salina, KS 67401-6196
SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITIONS Eisenhower Scholarship Competition: A biannual
event originally began by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the late 1960’s, this competition is for students in their senior year of high school who obtain a 3.5 cumulative GPA. The competition is designed to recognize incoming, first-time students who exhibit academic achievement, community service and leadership. This scholarship will cover the full tuition cost for on-campus students for completion of the undergraduate degree. Competition dates: Nov. 13, Jan. 22
Dr. Rebecca Chopp Transfer Scholarship Competition: An annual event for students that honors Dr.
Rebecca Chopp ’74, one of KWU’s most notable transfer students. To participate, students must have completed at least 24 hours of transfer-eligible course work with a 2.75 cumulative GPA. The competition is designed to recognize new transfer students who exhibit academic achievement, community service and leadership capabilities. This scholarship will cover the full tuition cost for oncampus students, or 70% of tuition costs for off-campus students, for the completion of the undergraduate degree. Competition date: March 22
Gary Harmon Scholarship Competition: Focuses
on students entering KWU for Debate and Forensics, in honor of the school’s longtime coach. Multiple scholarships will be presented. Competition date: March 26
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DECA Scholarship Competition: Focuses on students joining KWU's award-winning DECA business competition program. Multiple scholarships will be awarded. Competition date: TBA
Bill McMosley Music Scholarship Competition:
Wesleyan’s music competition honors the late Bill McMosley, who served as KWU’s director of bands for many years. Wesleyan’s music competition is a biannual event for students who are interested in participating in vocal and instrumental opportunities at KWU. Multiple scholarships will be presented. Competition date: Jan. 29, March 26
Barbara Marshall Theatre Scholarship Competition: This scholarship competition is in honor of long-
time KWU professor Barbara Marshall. Multiple scholarships will be awarded to incoming theatre student(s). Competition date: Nov. 20, March 19
Dr. Dorothy Hanna Scholarship Competition:
This scholarship competition is in honor of long-time KWU professor, Dr. Dorothy Hanna. Multiple scholarships will be awarded to incoming STEM student(s). Competition date: Nov. 13, Jan. 22 To learn more about these great scholarship opportunities or to refer a student, please call the KWU Admissions Office at (785) 833-4305 or visit www.kwu.edu/admissions.