SABToday summer 2015 newsletter

Summer 2015

TODAY

SAB

K-State Student Alumni Board alumni newsletter

By Canaan Coker, outgoing vice president of campus programming ith the third edition of this award now in the books, the Distinguished Young Alumni program has become not only a staple of SAB, but also a renowned recognition platform across the entire K-State landscape.

The excitement surrounding the program continued to build during this year’s 2015 award presentations.

After narrowing an exceptional field of 34 nominees to two well-deserving recipients, Corey Fortin ’06 and Matt King ’07 took over campus in late February to take part in a full tilt of DYA-related activities.

The three-day campus takeover was highlighted by dinner with Amy Button Renz ’76, ’86, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association, breakfast at the President’s Residence, interviews with both the K-Stater magazine and a local radio station, a formal recognition banquet and campus visits with deans and students.

To top it off, the recipients were honored as Fans of the Game at the Big Monday basketball contest against KU. The struggling ’Cats managed to pull off a thrilling victory over their in-state rivals.

King — a former Fulbright scholar, cofounder of K-State PROUD and former SAB president — chimed in on what he called a once-in-a-lifetime experience: “Fan of the Game? One day, if we … propel ourselves to the NIT Championship, they’ll look back and say, ‘It all began when Matt and Corey were Fans of the Game!”

King now manages two funds capitalized at nearly $300 million as a

David Mayes ‘96, K-State Alumni Association

SAB honors 2015 Distinguished Young Alumni

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Members of K-State Alumni Association’s Student Alumni Board honor 2015 Distinguished Young Alumni award recipients Corey Fortin ’06 (front row with plaque, left) and Matt King ’07 (front row with plaque, right) at the Feb. 24 award ceremony.

fund analyst for the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C. Fortin — a former Agriculture Ambassador, member of the Alpha Zeta Agricultural Honor Fraternity and Collegiate 4-H officer — explained how one of the coolest aspects of the DYA experience was the opportunity to meet and interact with the current students.

“I really enjoyed getting to meet and talk to the SAB members and Ag Ambassadors in casual settings,” Fortin said. “It was really great to get to hear their stories and what trajectory they were planning.”

Fortin is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service in Uganda. However, beginning this year, Fortin told the group he will be serving in Afghanistan for his one-year term in a “high-risk” location.

DYA, now a fully integrated tradition in the K-State community, will continue to grow with the connections it has established. The impact each recipient is able to make in just a brief visit back to campus is truly remarkable. In fact, the two DYA recipients are invited back to campus in the fall to serve as keynote speakers during K-State’s convocation.

For more information on the Distinguished Young Alumni program or to nominate a graduate for the 2016 award, visit www.k-state.com/DYA. Nominations will be accepted online.

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By Kathryn Silva, SAB senior he Wabash Cannonball Kansas City was in full swing Feb. 28 at the Overland Park Convention Center.

Complete with bouquets of purple daisies and brilliant sunflowers, place settings galore, dedicated SAB seniors and hundreds of K-State alumni, the ballroom was filled with pride, community and loyalty to the university.

As a senior assisting with the event preparation, I was excited to see how everyone’s hard work paid off throughout the day. I enjoyed arranging the flower bouquets on the 100 — that’s right, 100 — tables and meticulously aligning every fork, pepper shaker and napkin. These tasks were perfect for SAB seniors because they allowed everyone’s attention to detail to shine, but they also brought the team closer through everyone’s effort in making the evening a great event for all.

Soon after perfecting the ballroom, SAB seniors changed into their evening wear fit for a night out with Willie the Wildcat. The men of SAB were dashing in their suits and ties, and the women showcased their style by donning sequins, pleats, satin and jewels.

David Mayes ‘96, K-State Alumni Association

Recap: Wabash CannonBall Kansas City

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Student Alumni Board seniors and adviser Amanda Lee ’08 have a little fun during the 2015 Wabash CannonBall Kansas City.

university had affected their lives and how much they wanted to give back to students like me.

It was a humbling moment — especially since graduation for many of these seniors was coming up quickly. But there wasn’t too much time for reflection because the band picked up the tempo and off to the dance floor we went.

Alumni were equally stylin’ — some wore bedazzled ball gowns that sparkled all throughout the night.

Perhaps the best part of the evening was when SAB members were able to enjoy the festivities and mingle with many K-State alumni. After speaking with a few alumni, I was even more proud to be a Wildcat because I saw how much the

Inaugural Grad Breakfast honors fall graduates

By Zev Allen, incoming secretary n December, Student Alumni Board members helped launch the K-State Alumni Association’s inaugural Grad Breakfast, which is a sister event to the annual Grad Bash in May. Grad Breakfast celebrated students graduating in December. Graduates were served breakfast by university administration and faculty and entertained by the musical stylings of Cadence, K-State’s a Capella group. At the event, which took place in the K-State Alumni Center’s Banquet Room, graduating students also had the chance to win prizes.

Grad Bash celebrated May and August graduates this spring with a tailgate-style meal served on the Alumni Center’s Johnson Terrace. University staff and faculty served Call Hall ice cream, and graduates had the chance to have their photo taken with Willie the Wildcat. The Mikey Needleman Band set the stage for the barbecue, and prizes were awarded throughout the event.

Tommy Theis ’13, K-State Communications and Marketing

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Student Alumni Board members and K-State administrators and faculty serve breakfast to graduating students at the inaugural Grad Breakfast in December.

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By Justice Davis, SAB new member Ecstatic. Anxious. Nervous. Eager.

Thrilled.

Over 100 applicants were all waiting to see if they will be lucky enough to be welcomed into the SAB family.

The first round interview was a step closer to the goal.

Some crossed fingers and some prayed, anxious to know what the future will hold.

Three minutes in two rooms filled with K-State faculty and staff, greeting them with a handshake and a smile, while wondering what questions they were to ask.

“What’s your favorite place on campus and why?”

K-State’s the happiest place in the nation, so answer proudly and don’t be shy.

Congratulations, you are a part of the few who will continue to the next phase.

Relax and prepare, your final interview will be in just a few days.

Ecstatic. Anxious. Nervous. Eager.

Thrilled.

Your wish to be a member of SAB is closer to being fulfilled.

All that was left was one final quest.

The final interview consisted of answering this: “It has been decided that a time capsule should be buried on the K-State campus for students to dig up 100 years from now. What would you include that would help demonstrate what life at K-State was like in 2015?”

I knew that I would a write a poem in purple ink, telling them how it was an honor to be welcomed as new members of SAB. Now here we are, part of the biggest new members class.

Our goal has been reached; we are members of SAB at last.

We are working hard to carry on the legacy, connecting future, current and past K-Staters.

A true family bond is never broken, even 100 years later.

Nineteen new faces of SAB, and we will carry the torch with all of our might.

Leading our fellow Wildcats as we all sing “Fight on you K-State Wildcats, for Alma Mater Fight!”

Amanda Lee ’08, K-State Alumni Association

Celebrating new SAB members with poetry

front row (from left): 

Anna Meissbach, Lawrence, Kansas, freshman in history and

political science, pre-law  Becca Andrus, Wichita, Kansas, freshman in chemical engineering  Naomi Mwebaza, Kampala, Uganda, junior in psychology  Allison Harwood, Lawrence, Kansas, junior in marketing and entrepreneurship  Justice Davis, Kansas City, Missouri, junior in business marketing  Carolina Mach, Shawnee, Kansas, freshman in broadcast journalism and digital media  Maggie Meyer, Lenexa, Kansas, sophomore in chemical engineering  Mohri Exline, Salina, Kansas, sophomore in political science and international studies  Ashley Ebeck, Ottawa, Kansas, freshman in accounting and finance  Molly Bassette, Atchison, Kansas, freshman in biology

middle row (from left):  

Melanie Riordan, Norwalk, Iowa, sophomore in public relations Julia Satzler, Manhattan, Kansas, freshman in dietetics and kinesiology

back row (from left): 

Andrew McKittrick, Prairie Village, Kansas, freshman in computer



Mark Ronning, Prairie Village, Kansas, sophomore in electrical

engineering engineering     

Ethan Stueve, Olathe, Kansas, freshman in electrical engineering Luke Garrison, Topeka, Kansas, sophomore in chemical engineering Drew Bormann, Stilwell, Kansas, freshman in business management Zach May, Oberlin, Kansas, sophomore in industrial engineering Jack Ayres, Overland Park, Kansas, freshman in chemical engineering, pre-med For a list of all SAB members, visit www.k-state.com/SAB [3]

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PRESIDENT’S GOODBYE [ FROM THE PRESIDENT ]

By Adam Wilkerson, outgoing president When you win a prestigious award, you get to stand up and thank everyone who helped you get there. When you have an incredible year surrounded by even more incredible people, that speech doesn’t present itself until you’re asked to write a recap for Student Alumni Board.

Each of us will look back on our SAB experience, specifically this year, with many fond memories. Maybe it was Wabash CannonBall Kansas City, where the K-State Alumni Association extends an invitation to all the senior SAB members. Long after the band stopped playing and the work was done, I was surrounded by some of the most successful and passionate students I know.

Maybe it was the Distinguished Young Alumni awards, where we got to

and helped make this my favorite year in SAB. And, to our advisers, Jessica Elmore ’06, ’15, who recently earned her doctorate, and Amanda Lee ’08: Thank you for supporting and encouraging all of us throughout the year. They’ve become more than advisers; they’ve become life coaches, friends and so much more. Thank you to all the Alumni Association staff. Walking into the Alumni Center feels like walking into my home. A friendly smile and quick chat are always in order.

As this year comes to a close, a new chapter begins under new President Taylor Fry, new Vice President of Campus Programming Christa McKittrick, new Vice President of Development Mandy Marchesini, new Vice President of Membership Sam Edwards and new Secretary Zev Allen. I have full confidence in the new executive team to continue to grow SAB, and I look forward to continuing under their guidance throughout my fifth-year victory lap.

know this year’s recipients, Corey Fortin ’06 and Matt King ’07. Both of them have experienced bumps in the road — yet where each door is closed, several more are opened. Their journeys to success are inspiring. Past SAB member and Student Body President Jake Worchester ’01 summed it up well at our end-of-the-year banquet: “Often the best-laid plans don’t come to fruition.”

For others, it might have been at For Sophomores Only or Just For Juniors, when that prospective student came up afterward and not only thanked you, but also wanted to come to K-State and join SAB. Maybe it was any number of other events and activities we’ve participated in, but we’d all agree it was the people who have created those memories.

I’ll look back and smile every time I think of my executive team and advisers. Words cannot capture how grateful I am for you. Canaan, April, Kristen and Katie have inspired me

By Taylor Fry, incoming president n April 10 and 11, Student Alumni Board welcomed nearly 120 high school sophomores and their parents to K-State for the annual For Sophomores Only program. Throughout the two-day event, high school students were able to experience what life is like as a college student and the traditions at K-State.

Friday evening, students participated in an activity called K-State 101, which led them through 12 interactive stations that showed different aspects of K-State.

Students learned campus lingo, identified important K-State objects, evaluated a class schedule and learned the Wabash Cannonball. Students then attended a social full of dancing, games, food and fun in the K-State Student Union.

To kick off Saturday morning, the students completed a college simulation to experience what life is like as a college student. Students were asked to make goals for themselves in social,

Katie VanDever, Student Alumni Board

Teens experience life at K-State during For Sophomores Only

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SAB member Aaron Bisch speaks with high schoolers during For Sophomores Only.

academic and professional areas. They then experienced two full “semesters” in 40 minutes. Throughout the simulation, students were faced with the potential challenges and successes they might experience in college.

Frank Tracz, K-State’s director of bands, spoke to the students and their parents about the K-State family and the passion at this university. Participants then were able to explore the All-University Open House on Saturday afternoon.

Tradition Founders Thanks for all your support of the Tradition Founders Telefund! SAB K-State Alumni Association members raised Annual Fund nearly $40,000 for the K-State Alumni Association.

Want to give?

Donations to Tradition Founders help make programs possible!

Programs include student scholarships, Alumni Club events, multicultural programming, alumni/student awards, career services and the K-Stater magazine.

Visit www.k-state.com/ traditionfounders to give today!