Spring 2025 Indigo Magazine

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

This issue of the Indigo Magazine is centered around the 2000s. I wanted my last issue as editor-in-chief to be fun and light-hearted, something memorable and funky.

“News that matters to WU:” Y2K edition.

Everyone needs a reminder from time to time that there is light in the world.

Right now, we need fun and joy more than ever. We are college students trying to figure out our futures in the big-kid world, enough said. We should get an award just for showing up.

It’s a scary time to be in. It’s scary to try and figure out an environment that changes its rules and standards every five seconds. Nothing ever makes sense, and that can be extremely frustrating. But it can also be exciting not to be trapped by boundaries or a plan. Being young adults is truly the best of times and the worst of times all rolled into one.

As we embark into our careers and try to make a name for ourselves, I think it’s important to remember there is no timeline. We don’t need to be in our dream career straight out of college because that’s so unlikely. It’s okay to still be figuring out your passions and ambitions. And if you are struggling, then great! That means you’re learning!

There is no competition here, only support for each other. You are already part of your career field, just in the beginning steps

of learning how to do it. So, congratulations on already starting to accomplish your dreams! Always stand for something good, something you are proud of.

I will always support and stand for Washburn Student Media because it’s something I believe to be good. I’m so proud of my time here and what I’ve accomplished. Without it, I probably wouldn’t have ever felt like I belonged at Washburn. It’s my home here, and I’m sad to be leaving it soon.

Graduation is bittersweet. Saying goodbye to everything you’ve known the last few years, and saying hello to all the wonderful, new and unexpected adventures.

I will forever be an Ichabod, just like you. Wishing you hope and happiness for what lies ahead. Stay powerful and brave.

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor

Writers

Morgan Albrecht

Eden Conrad

Lexi Hittle

Sujal Pradhan

Jenisha Thapa

Jayme Thompson

Designers

Eden Conrad

Jayme Thompson

Copy Editors

Morgan Albrecht

Eden Conrad

Jeremy Ford

Lexi Hittle

Alijah McCracken

Jayme Thompson

Illustrators

Eden Conrad

Stuti Khadka

Jayme Thompson

Photographers

Eden Conrad

Jayme Thompson

Advertising

Mia Anthony

The Cover

Faculty Adviser

Regina Cassell

The goal for this cover was to capture that iconic Y2K magazine. Utilizing Stuti Khadka's incredible art skills, we featured Mr. Ichabod shirtless, rocking shades and cherry-flavored lip gloss. Often art allows us to express ourselves in more ways than just a photo ever could, so this is our favorite mascot being the best girlboss he could ever be.

2025 Kansas Collegiate Media Awards

5

5

5 First Place Second Place Third Place

Honorable Mentions

BY JAYME THOMPSON

A grandmother’s tale of the end of the world

The world is ending. It always is, whether you’re a teenager who looked bad in front of your crush, a conspiracy theorist or even just a regular person who got caught up in the news.

I can only count a handful of times I felt like the world was ending. Maybe it was dramatics or maybe it was the fear that something truly would happen. Either way, I was just one girl in a sea of millions, what could I have truly done?

If this is how I feel today, I can only wonder what my parents and grandparents must’ve felt when they lived through multiple occasions when they were told they could die at any moment.

THE END IS NIGH

The Cold War, hysteria of the year 2000, the Large Hadron Collider in 2008 and the Maya Long Count calendar in 2012 were just a few occasions when millions were in a state of panic. While myself and many other Washburn students were alive during the 2008 and 2012 instances, I was too young to truly be afraid.

While the aesthetics of Y2K are fondly remembered, not many in the younger generations know of the fears that haunted our parents and our grandparents during Y2K. Computers then and now

are integrated into our daily lives. People were afraid the power grids would go out or that utilities such as security systems, police scanners and even traffic lights would be disabled. Stores sold Y2K kits full of nonperishables, radios, flashlights and first-aid essentials just in case fundamental computer programs did crash.

NOT A "PREPPER"

While she didn't classify herself a “prepper,” my grandmother, Suzanne Crafton was prepared. The house she owns was originally built during the Cold War era and came with a bunker prebuilt into the foundation. While the bunker, or “the Y2K room” as we called it, is now just a storage room. During the fear of Y2K, it was full of basic supplies.

“We tried to collect things that, if we did lose power, we didn’t have to cook,” Crafton said. “We had a Coleman stove and little packages of propane that you’d put on the stove. We had toilet paper, paper towels, just stuff that you would need.”

While she was prepared just in case, Crafton wasn’t scared. Crafton knew people who were scared, but her family was more concerned than truly afraid. The concern Crafton felt was that she truly didn’t know what would happen. No one did, really.

“Everybody at the sheriff’s department had to work that night because they had to plan for any contingency. If all the traffic lights stopped working they had traffic details. If people’s security systems went out, they had to have police that could stand guard over banks,” Crafton said.

One of these officers was my grandfather. The night of Dec. 31, 1999, my grandmother was told that her husband might not come home that night. Thankfully, he did come home shortly after midnight, telling her that it was just a regular night on the job.

THE STORM PASSED

“I was downstairs and shortly after midnight, he came home and he said, ‘Oh, brother, there’s nothing. Nothing happened.’ Everything worked like it was supposed to work[…]They tried to prepare for anything and nothing happened,” Crafton said.

Just like that, the horrors were over. There was no chaos, no sudden computer crashes. It was just as life always was. Even when the world is constantly feeling like the end, it opens our eyes to see that the world has been ending over and over again, yet we’ve survived each time.

KIT

Books, games and entertainment

Suzanne Crafton's Y2K bunker had plenty of games and ways to keep her family entertained in case they had to stay in the bunker for a long time.

Basic supplies

Most people prepped by having first-aid kits, batteries, radios and flashlights handy.

Y2K survival kits

Stores during the Y2K crisis also sold large "Y2K kits," which contained food, water and emergency supplies.

Nonperishables and water

A staple of Y2K bunkers was a large collection of food and water that could last a long time.

GRAPHIC BY EDEN CONRAD

Parents are so annoying always bossing us around. Grandparents just never understand. Newer generations try too hard to be cool.

Generational Opinions Gen-Z Gen-Z

What do you think of the other generations?

Take a look at what Washburn thinks.

"It's just interesting to see Gen-Z and how reliant on tech I think they are. But also, it's kind of good to see Gen-Z and how they strongly believe in advocating for others."

Vanessa Nunez, Millennial Senior Administrative Assistant for the Ichabod Service Center

"I think I would say they are more sensitive to causes and more technological, more technique inclined than versus my generation or the generation before them. So, I do think they are more sensitive to world issues, climate issues."

Margo Rangel, Gen-X Office Coordinator of Center Teaching Excellence Learning

"Today's college student generation is a lot more cognizant of mental health. They care deeply about their mental health, they're not as afraid to talk about how important it is and to maybe even advocate for themselves and I think that's really an advantage that this generation has that was not discussed before."

"I think it's funny how they think they know everything about technology, and then you have to show them the easy things. But, even with that, those are the people that taught us how to do everything so you got to have respect for them."

"I think that millennials have a good sense of pop culture, but are struggling to remain current."

Madeline Dumler, Gen-Z

Millennials Millennials Gen-X Gen-X

"They focus on local community service as the best way to make positive change. There is always this perception that, from my generation to millennials, they maybe [are] a little bit more needy, but I think it's whatever generation is looking at the generation of their children."

Kristine Hart, Gen-X

"My cousin is Gen-X, she's just 12 years older than me. So growing up, I kind of looked up to them as like what cool is, but obviously [they] didn't have the same social media and stuff."

Sarah Holt, Millennial

"Gen-X does well with music and has a lot of really good music taste, but does not have some of the stronger fashion sense as other generations."

Dumler, Gen-Z

"This idea of how you access and use information in different ways, which is almost like breathing for millennials, but especially Gen-Z, it's not something Gen-X is necessarily used to, but I also think that Gen-X can presume that the other generations are more tech savvy or more attached to their social media than they necessarily are."

STORY WRITING AND DESIGN

The tales that Washburn tells First Record of "Snow Angel"

The Washburn Review was the first to record the phrase “snow angel” in 1918. The Oxford English Dictionary lists earlier recordings, but they have a slightly different context of an “angelic being imagined as being the source of a fall or flurry of snow.” The Review was the first to use the context of laying in snow to make an impression of an angel.

Navy Training Facility

As the United States joined World War II in 1941, Washburn University was used as a Navy officer training facility. Men came from various parts of the country to be trained and they took college courses at the same time. The Phi Delta Theta fraternity building was used to train Naval Airmen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND, 1944

Underground Tunnels

Washburn University has underground tunnels for facilities services to use. The Docking State Office building also has tunnels, but these reach the Kansas State Capitol Building. These tunnels are not accessible to the public, only restricted personnel.

Washburn Law Canes

Senior law students at Washburn used to carry around canes on campus. It was a tradition abandoned after World War II because enrollment was low. However, it later resumed in 1946 when the law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta put out a “cane rack” that could hold 34 canes. The rack included permanent space for the Deans Antrim Hambleton and Harry Allen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW ARCHIVES, 1951

Mr. Bod Pageant

Washburn University used to have a Mr. Bod pageant, which lasted for 10 years. Starting in 2005, the Washburn Student Government Association started this short-lived tradition to help fundraise for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It was an annual tradition that involved the previous year’s “Mr. Bod” handing the crown to the new winner of the competition.

Technical Signing Day

Washburn Institute of Technology is under the umbrella of Washburn University. In 2014, Washburn Tech was the first college to start a tradition of Signing Day where incoming students sign their letter of intent into their technical program. The tradition mirrors the NCAA National Signing Day for athletes. Signing Day for technical colleges is now a national event sponsored by the National Coalition of Certification Centers with more than 80 educational institutions hosting ceremonies.

Wisconsin Sues Washburn

Washburn University was sued in 2007 by University of Wisconsin for the logo “W” being too similar to theirs. The settlement included Washburn stopping the use of the logo and needing to remove the design wherever it is posted on campus including the floor of Lee Arena and the football field.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHBURN STUDENT MEDIA ARCHIVES, 2009

Chapel Moved Overnight

The chapel, now Carole Chapel, moved to its current location on campus in one piece. The entire building was picked up and moved to where it resides now from the Menninger campus. One day it was there and the next it was in a different location of Washburn University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHBURN STUDENT MEDIA ARCHIVES, 2008

WashburnExperiencingthrough the eyes of an alumni

DESIGN BY JAYME THOMPSON
PHOTO BY AARON DEFFENBAUGH
KAW YEARBOOK 2009

Washburn University has been changing lives for generations, especially for students who are now faculty and staff of their alma mater.

FRIENDSHIPS MADE

Zach Watkins, head football coach, graduated from Washburn in 2009. As a former Washburn student, he has seen student engagement and Topeka's involvement increase over the last 15 years.

"All the guys at my wedding were my Washburn teammates," Watkins said. "Washburn's a very special place, and the people here make it that way. Washburn's shaped me into who I am today."

The connections and friendships students find at Washburn can last a lifetime as Watkins still talks to his teammates often.

"We have a big group text that is going every day, and I'll come back to 30-40 messages sometimes," Watkins said. "Those guys have been my best friends for a long time and they're supportive of Washburn, and obviously now being the head coach, they're very supportive of what we're trying to do here as a staff now and they're very excited.

SUPPORT & ENGAGEMENT

Students can find support from each other, faculty and the community.

"One of the best things [about Washburn] was the community support," said Lora Westling, head women's basketball coach. "I always felt incredibly welcomed here and that there were a lot of people looking out for me."

Westling is a Washburn alumna and graduated in 2005 with her undergraduate degree and then again in 2007 with her masters degree. She explained that even back then Washburn's campus was a vibrant place with many opportunities for student engagement.

"There was a lot of really exciting projects happening on campus in the first two years I was here," Westling said. "I think student engagement was huge between the Bod Squad and Greek life, and just seemed like a very engaged campus."

While Washburn has changed throughout the years, one thing that remains constant is the various construction projects. The Living Learning Center was built right before

Westling's freshman year. She mentioned that there seemed to always be some kind of construction project going on. Although it can be frustrating, Westling pointed out that construction is good.

"We always tell recruits construction is a good thing," Westling said. "The way they handle the upkeep here, they do it the best. They keep things looking the best as possible [...] and that's really a credit to our facility services."

Both Watkins and Westling agreed that student engagement has increased. This could be a result of the LLC and Lincoln Hall being built because it allows for more students to be on campus.

"It was fun. It was a special place and I came on a visit in high school and just knew this was the place that I wanted to play football at and go to school," Watkins said.

NEW TECHNOLOGY

Technology has changed over the years as well. In sports, coaches have access to analytics, film and fitness monitors. In the classroom, especially in computer classes, there are more programs and resources available than there were in the 2000s.

"There are a lot of open source software and those are typically free for us to use," said Nan Sun, professor and chair of computer information sciences.

Sun graduated from Washburn in 1994. She explains that there are many free software programs now, unlike when she went to school here. There are always new tools for professors to learn, so they can share them with the students.

When Sun was in college, she got to know many of her peers because students had to be in class to do their work. Assignments were done in person and on paper. This made more students come to class than they do now.

In 2002, Sun began to teach at Washburn and she mentioned the computer information science department being larger than what it is now.

"The faculty collaboration was excellent. I remember we had a lot of faculty in the CIS department," Sun said. "We were able to collaborate on teaching, writing papers, going to conferences, so it was a lot of fun.

While Washburn has changed and adapted over the years, it has always been a place where students can call home and feel connected.

Remember when...

Take a trip down memory lane and remember the good ole' times of the 2000s. Some even correlate with the late 90s or early 2010s!

A A T T N N S S

MAGIC 8 BALL

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

MR. POTATO HEAD SESAME STREET

Bingo time!

Mark off everything you remember from when you were a kid.

Watched Cartoon Network

Had A TON of Lip Smackers

You folded paper into the fortune teller game in class

Rainbow. Slinky. Enough said.

Played with a Polly Pocket

You owned Jelly Shoes or Crocs

You put your face into a 3D Pin Art Board

Birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese

Used linked cubes to count in math class

Went to the Scholastic Book Fair

Watched Dragon Tales

Had a Nintendo DS

FREE SPACE

Found a toy in a cereal box

Collected Pokemon cards

You were a Club Penguin expert You loved Kidz Bop

Best school days had the tv carts

You owned a ZhuZhu pet/ Webkinz pet You used the rubber poppers to annoy others

Your family owned a Wii

Signed shirts for the last day of school

You were obsessed with Silly Bandz

Played with Beyblades or Barbies You shopped at Justice

PHOTOGRAPHY AND DESIGN BY JAYME THOMPSON

"The Real Slim Shady"

EMINEM

"Say My Name"

DESTINY'S CHILD

"Blue (Da Ba Dee)"

EIFFEL 65

"What a Girl Wants"

CRISTINA AGUILERA

"The Next Episode"

DR. DRE FT. SNOOP DOGG

"Everything You Want"

VERTICAL HORIZON

Trending on the top charts

"Party Up (Up in Here)"

DMX

"All the Small Things"

BLINK-182

What music was all the rage back then? We'll give you a clue with some of the most popular hits that you may have forgotten about.

"I Wanna Love You Forever"

JESSICA SIMPSON

"Waiting for Tonight" OUTKAST "Hey Ya!"

JENNIFER LOPEZ

"I Need You"

LEANN RIMES

NINTENDO DS

SANTANA"Smooth"

"Oops!... I Did It Again"

BRITNEY SPEARS

"Bye Bye Bye"

N-SYNC

BEYBLADES

HOTWHEELS
REPORTING BY SUJAL PRADHAN
DESIGN BY EDEN CONRAD
ILLUSTRATION BY EDEN CONRAD USING MICROSOFT PAINT.

Menninger Clinic turns 100

Local psychiatric hospital gained international fame

Being in Topeka, people are bound to hear the name Menninger as the psychiatric clinic grew into an international success over the 1900s, some even considering Topeka the psychiatric capital of the world. In 2025, the clinic turns 100 years old.

As the Menninger Foundation officially closed its Topeka campus in May 2003, its name has begun to fade with newer generations despite its historic ties to the city. The ties go deeper than most know, and there are so many little bits of information that have gotten lost over time in the eye of the public.

“I love telling people stories about Shawnee County and Topeka that they have never heard before and that they might not realize makes this place really cool,” said Katie Keckeisen, local history librarian for the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.

Although the clinic moved to Texas, pieces of its history have been distributed throughout places such as the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Kansas Historical Society and Washburn University Archives. These

PHOTO COURTESY OF KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

DATE: APRIL 1972

Copies of a research report "Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis" is being autographed by the authors. This research was well-known and contributed to the field of psychoanalysis and psychiatry.

organizations work to preserve the history associated with the Menninger family and the foundation.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

This foundation started with the ideas from Dr. Charles Frederick Menninger after he had moved to Topeka to have a medical practice, mostly as a family practitioner. At the time, C.F. was used to doctors keeping secrets of how they practice medicine with no collaboration. He wanted to change this and had mentioned it to his three sons who were also interested in medicine.

Edwin, in addition to his brothers Karl and William Menninger, attended Washburn University. In 1949, Karl and William Menninger earned honorary degrees in docSTORY WRITING AND DESIGN BY JAYME THOMPSON

Edwin Menninger, one of C.F’s sons, had a chemistry lab accident, which altered his career away from medicine. He was able to establish himself as a credible botanist later in life.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

DATE: 1962

From left to right, Dr. Robert Menninger, Dr. Karl Menninger and Anna Freud. As a Sloan Visiting Professor, Freud lent her expertise on psychoanalysis when she came to Topeka to see the clinic.

tor of science from Washburn although Karl Menninger did not do his full undergraduate degree at the university.

Karl Menninger attended from 1910-1912, Edwin Menninger graduated in 1916 and William Menninger graduated in 1919. The family and clinic remained close with the college over the years with numerous functions tying the institutions together.

There was even the Kansas Medical College where students would go for medical school. For about 10 years this was part of Washburn University. However, as things changed and more requirements and equipment were needed, the college struggled to keep up.

“It just became too much for Washburn to deal with, and they have all their other college courses and everything, and so they decided to merge with [University of Kansas]. So, I mean the medical school here just basically was transferred to KU,” said Martha Imparato, university archivist and special collections librarian.

After the sons returned from medical school, the family decided to start the psychiatric clinic in an attempt to change how unfairly the patients were being treated.

“They were world renowned for their treatment options and they were very much about this holistic care,” Keckeisen said. “They expected every member of the staff, from the janitor to the cooking staff all the way up to the psychiatrists - everybody was involved in the patient’s care.”

MAKING HEADLINES

Karl Menninger even taught some courses at Washburn in his spare time starting around 1920. He taught courses such as abnormal psychology and a course that was called mental hygiene. This lasted for a couple of decades before things took off for the family’s fame.

“The clinic was getting a lot bigger, and [took] a lot more of his time. I’m just amazed he still taught here,” Imparato said.

Because of the clinic, Topeka, Kansas, was once considered the psychiatric capital of the world for the impact the Menninger family had on changing the way patients were treated in the field of psychiatry. Many books were written by the family, predominantly Karl Menninger, that sparked the notoriety.

At this point in time, the family name made headlines across the nation with bigger news companies like the New York Times reporting on what was happening here in the city. They also gained international fame and were well-known across the globe.

In 1981, President Jimmy Carter awarded Karl Menninger the Medal of Freedom, and he was

DATE: 1910

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTHA IMPARATO, WASHBURN UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Dr. Karl Menninger attends Washburn University from 1910-1912, but did not complete his undergraduate degree at the institution. Washburn later granted him an honorary doctorate of science along with his brother Dr. William Menninger in 1949.

the only psychiatrist who had been granted this honor. Many people of importance visited the clinic such as Anna Freud, psychologist and Sigmund Freud’s daughter. Other well-known figures in the realm of psychology visited and became a guest lecturer for their students. Even celebrities came to the clinic to be treated as patients.

“Menningers had a contract with the NFL at one point, that if the NFL had anybody in their ranks that needed psychiatric help, they would be sent to Menningers,” Keckeisen said. “People from Hollywood were treated at Menningers, like stars were treated there.”

LEAVING TOPEKA

It was a devastating blow to Topekans when there was talk about the institution moving out of the capital city. Some had hoped it’d stay in Kansas, and many people expressed their opinions on the matter in local newspapers. The move to Texas was covered not only locally but across the country. The level of importance cast on this family was huge in the later 1900s and early 2000s. The Menninger news was everywhere, not just Kansas.

In present times, most of the clinic’s buildings in Topeka have been torn down, with the main clock tower remaining. This status of the building has been up in the air for years with talk of it being torn down, talk about it being sold and even talk about it being restored. While it awaits any major changes, it has become a place for youth to trespass and break in, which has caused damage and alterations to the interior. Some people claim the building is haunted, and this attracts certain crowds who wish to explore it.

“Last I heard, it was purchased by a local guy, and he is interested in restoring it, getting some funds together to keep it - to do something with it. He doesn’t want to see it torn down,” Keckeisen said.

With the clinic turning 100, some places across Topeka have planned celebrations.

Younger generations may not be as familiar with the lore of the Menninger clinic, but the name will forever remain a prominent aspect of the city’s history and the field of psychiatry.

Photo by Abbie Rowe, White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston
Date: Feb. 9, 1962
Dr. William Menninger meets John F. Kennedy, the president of the United States at the time. As the family clinic became well-known, they were able to meet some prominent figures of society.
Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society Date: 1967
An activity therapy group participates in restoring old bicycles and wagons. After the bikes were finished, they were sent to children in Topeka.
Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society Date: August 1961
Dr. William Menninger is being filmed for "Age of Anxiety" that will be on CBS. The program aired in the earlier half of 1962.

DATE: SEPT. 28, 2000

The clinic leaving Topeka shocks the surrounding community as well as other areas across the country. The news made many headlines with various news organizations.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOPEKA & SHAWNEE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOPEKA & SHAWNEE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
From left to right, Dr. William Menninger, Edwin Menninger and Dr. Karl Menninger. The sons of C.F. Menninger helped the family build the famous foundation and clinic.

Blast from the Washburn Past

Using scans from previous Washburn yearbooks, the Indigo team put together a collage of our favorite moments from the 2000s.

Each photo has the yearbook it was taken from and we encourage you to take a look through Washburn's colorful past.

Don't have your own? Come by the Student Media office and grab a copy. We have yearbooks dating back to the 80s that can be taken home!

What were the jocks up to?

The

early 2000s sports scene was full of

historical, joyful and shocking occasions. Let’s take a look back at some of these memorable moments.

Tiger on the loose

In the early 2000s, Tiger Woods, was a young golfer who had the world in awe. The professional golfer, who has become a dominant force in the golf world, had just broken on to the scene and would soon change the trajectory of golf for many people of color. Woods was integral in bringing a new audience to golf as he is credited with breaking the color barrier in professional golf and became the first African American with a major win in the sport.

Life will go on

Sept. 21, 2001, 10 days after the world seemed to stop, especially in New York City, one thing that brought Americans together and showed a ray of hope was sports. The New York Mets played their first game since the twin towers collapsed with heavy hearts, but Mike Piazza was determined to change that. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, Piazza stepped up to the plate and delivered a 2-run home run causing the fans to erupt with joy, breaking the somber tone that had befallen the game up until this point. Piazza’s homer reminded the world that life would go on and things would improve.

The Washburn Review writes the headline "All athletics to be Ichabods." Washburn University believed that all students regardless of gender should be called Ichabods.

Bianchino Pavilion undergoes renovations. The project took less than a year to complete.

I am speed

New generation GOAT

One contender in the heated debate of who is the best NBA player of all time is Lebron James. After being the number one draft pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has made waves in professional basketball in the 2000s. And ever since, he’s been putting him in contention to compete for the "greatest of all time" title with notable athletes like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Until 2008, the fastest man in the world was Asafa Powell. But his fellow countryman Usain Bolt had other plans at the Beijing Olympics and planned to shock the world. Bolt’s career in the early 2000s was nothing but impressive. Clocking a 9.72-second time at the Olympic trials and showing out when it really counted, Bolt ran a 9.69-second 100-meter dash on the world’s biggest stage. For years to come Bolt would continue to break records in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4x100 meter races. To this day Bolt is known as the fastest man alive and will forever be known as such a historic figure in sports.

What about Washburn?

Washburn University Athletics also went through its fair share of memorable moments in the 2000s. From facility upgrades and championships to name changes and adding new sports.

The Lady Blues stand together before Washburn soccer's first game. Overall, the team had a challenging season of 4-13-1.

Here's the numbers to break it down:

According to Gene Cassell, assistant athletic director for communications, Washburn upgraded multiple athletic facilities between 2000 and 2010. These facilities included Lee Arena (2001), Bianchino Pavilion (2003), the softball press box (2003) and the weight room (2010).

In the 2000s, teams also attended multiple tournaments and championships, including the 2005 NCAA DII women's basketball championship, in which the Ichabods (then known as the Lady Blues) became Washburn's first national champions.

One drastic difference between the Ichabods of today and those of the 2000s is the distinction between the Lady Blues and the Ichabods. The fall of 2013 was the first time all Washburn athletes could call themselves Ichabods no matter their gender.

Another notable sports moment was the introduction of women's soccer on campus. The team played its first game Sept. 3, 2003, winning 5-1 over Ottawa University.

The 2005 Washburn women's basketball team is crowned the NCAA DII champions. The team's win went down in history as Washburn's first NCAA national title.
Photos courtesy of WUSports

RaymonaMcKnight

Raymona McKnight, freshman mass media major, gives the camera her claws. McKnight wore a grunge aesthetic with a full black outfit.

An interview with a fashion icon

Around campus, it’s common to see students wearing Washburn gear or exploring the latest trends. However, some people bring their own style into the mix that’s different from most, such as Raymona McKnight, freshman mass media major.

She dresses based upon whatever she’s feeling that day. There’s a wide variety for her to choose from as some days she likes to wear pastel colors and others she likes to dress more goth or grunge.

Y2K IS CALLING

“I do like the style of grunge looking in the 2000s. I really do like the 2000 style a lot more than any other style. So, I guess my inspiration is 2000 mixed with the now,” McKnight said.

McKnight appreciates the combination of baggy pants mixed with either a little shirt or a baggy shirt - no in between. Some of her go-to staple pieces are furry boots and beads.

“That’s like my signature look, I'm always wearing beads. Always. Never not wearing beads,” McKnight said.

The default color for her is black. But she coordinates her pieces to have matching patterns. If her pants have stars on them, she will try and incorporate stars either in her jewelry, makeup or accessories. She experiments with her closet to find what works together and what doesn’t.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s not the same color, not the same texture. If it looks good, it looks good,”

McKnight said.

Some people will get piercings and tattoos as a way to be creative and illustrate what they like. For McKnight, she has her tongue pierced, a septum piercing and angel fangs.

SHE'S A VAMPIRE?

“I really like the look of vampire looks. It’s just something I really like,” McKnight said. “Sometimes I say I’m a vampire.”

However, tattoos are off the table completely.

“I will never get tattoos, that’s crazy,” McKnight said. “Because I am deathly afraid of needles and that is ironic since I do have piercings.”

She’s had an interest in this type of fashion since middle school, slowly collecting pieces to make her dream wardrobe. She started being more adventurous with her hair, makeup and piercings in high school.

When picking out her clothes for the day, she typically starts with the shoes then sees what clothing pieces speak to her. The ultimate outfit for her would be black fuzzy boots, tights, a grimstyled skirt, a baby tee and a big jacket.

“My outfit would probably be mainly black. I would also be carrying a plushie as either a bag or just like an accessory, but I WILL be carrying a plushie,” McKnight said.

The craziest piece in McKnight’s closet is a Sesame Street reversible puffer jacket.

plushie,TOP:McKnightsmileswithher Mr.Rhino.McKnightgaveadvicetoalwayscarryaplushie.

“I have not worn that, not once yet. I got it last year and I still haven’t worn it because I don’t necessarily know how to work it into an outfit yet,” McKnight said. “I find that to be my most weirdest object, like extravagant. I don’t even know why I have it, I just have it.”

PERFECT BALANCE

While her outfits don’t appeal to everyone, it doesn’t bother McKnight when people negatively comment on it. Some of her family members have joked with her that she needs to dress more professional.

“I have my own sense of style so their words don’t affect me that much,” McKnight said. “I understand I should be professional in some settings, but they mostly joke a lot about that stuff so I don’t take that into account.”

McKnight shows off her fuzzy, rainbow boots. These boots were paired with multiple bright colors to help them pop.

McKnight models multiple bracelets on her left wrist. McKnight wore mixed bracelet styles from beaded, to string, to leather.

Over time, her style has changed greatly. In elementary school, she wore what would be considered typical boy clothes. In middle school, she was more of a girly girl wanting to dress in cuter looks. But since high school, she has found her perfect balance between both female and masculine presenting clothing.

If people hear beads clicking together, Raymona McKnight is probably right around the corner.

“A piece of advice, always carry around a plushie. Always carry around a plushie,” McKnight said.

McKnight smiles for the camera, showing off her piercings. McKnight said that she enjoys vampire aesthetics, hence her angel fangs.

McKnight owns a multitude of plushies that reflect her style. All of McKnight's plushies have names and backstories including Mr. Gloomy (left) and Mr. Rhino (right).

DESIGN AND PHOTOS BY EDEN CONRAD

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DESIGN BY EDEN CONRAD

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