Wichita State alum running run for City of Wichita mayor

BY SARAH BEAUCHAMP sbeauchamp2944@gmail.com

Lily Wu announced her candidacy for mayor on April 2, coinciding with her 30th anniversary living in Wichita.

Before announcing her run for office, the Wichita State alum previously worked as a reporter and news anchor for 12 years. This is Wu’s first time stepping into politics.

“I’ve really enjoyed my career in journalism,” Wu said. “I feel like right now is a perfect opportunity for me to give back and make a difference. I’m 38 years old and I am now in this phase in my life where I feel like I can serve in that capacity.”

Wu spoke fondly of her time at Wichita State and the opportunities that came from it.

“I think the mayor’s role really is being the ambassador and leader for the city of Wichita,” Wu said. “I’ve had that opportunity (to lead) thanks to a lot of the experiences I had at WSU.”

Wu graduated in 2007 from WSU with a degree in international business and integrated marketing communications.

After graduating, Wu got her master’s degree in Hong Kong as part of a Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship she received. As part of the scholarship, she worked as an ambassador for Wichita in Hong Kong, where she gave presentations to clubs around the world on behalf of Wichita.

Elizabeth King, former president of the Wichita Rotary club and current CEO of the WSU Foundation, originally suggested Wu apply for the scholarship.

“(Wu) is very bright, very inquisitive and a natural leader,” King said. “She considers me one of her mentors, and that’s a real privilege because she’s just an extraordinary person.”

Wu has maintained her involvement with WSU since graduating. She is currently a board member of the Barton Business School Advisory Board and the Steve Clark YMCA. She also has stopped by the Elliott School of Communication to talk to students about her experience as a journalist.

Kevin Hager, an associate communications professor at the Elliott School, has previously asked her to come speak with students and give them advice.

“She’s always a very positive, interesting, caring person in the classroom setting … and (able to be) blunt at times when that’s what students need to hear,” Hager said.

She talked about how her background influenced her life and career choices, and how she feels that career experience will help her in the role of mayor if elected.

When Wu moved to the United States at the age of 8, her family didn’t speak English. She spoke about her experience learning English to act as her family’s translator in second grade.

“I decided that because my parents obviously didn’t speak English either, I would want to take that leadership role,” Wu said. “I could be their main translator, and to this day I still do that.”

Wu said translating for her family has aided her career as a journalist, and she thinks it will also help if elected as mayor.

Wu said her journalism career started by watching local news to learn English as a child.

“I always considered (local news) my out of classroom teachers,” Wu said. “And so I’ve always had this aspiration of someday being like my out of classroom teacher, so journalism was in the back of my head this entire time.”

Wu got her start in journalism in high school. She attended Northwest, East and East High

Northwest.

“That’s part of the reason I say I’m ‘all of Wichita’... because I’ve grown up all around this community,” Wu said.

Larry Hatteberg, former KAKE news anchor for 51 years, “opened the door” for her, helping her get a job at Channel 10, which was her first job as a professional journalist. She was with KAKE for nine years before moving to KWCH, where she has worked as a news anchor for the past three years

“I name these names, not to drop names, but to emphasize that people have helped me along the way,” Wu said. “They’ve opened doors for me and then showed me the opportunity, and I’m just really grateful for that.”

She is involved in volunteer work with local organizations like the Wichita Asian Association, Storytime Village and Sunlight Children’s Services

Wu is the director of the Miss Asian Scholarship Pageant at the annual Wichita Asian Festival, where she mentors contestants. Wu has been involved with the Wichita Asian Association, which hosts the event, since she was a freshman in college.

“I’ve had an opportunity to serve in many capacities with the Asian festival,” Wu said. “That has helped in connecting with the community and understanding the community. Civic engagement is your own way to make your home a better place.”

With less than seven months until the mayoral election, Wu is running on four campaign points: public safety, strengthening the economy, restoring trust in city hall and bringing the community together.

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