Association NEWS
New President
This July, Ross Hollander ’73 began his one-year term as alumni association president with such Shocker verve and pride that it’s impossible for his fellow alumni leaders not to feel the excitement. A shareholder in the Wichita office of Joseph & Hollander PA, this WSU speech graduate practices law in the areas of employment litigation, management employment law, commercial litigation, bankruptcy litigation and civil litigation — in a firm that’s chockfull of WSU graduates, namely Stephen Joseph ’69, Chris Joseph ’97, Kristine Savage ’88, Christopher McHugh ’97, Sonya Strickland ’01 and Michelle Moe ’02.
Joining Hollander at the helm of alumni affairs is president-elect Dan Unruh ’86, a partner with InSite Real Estate Group in Wichita. A real estate broker since 1987, Unruh graduated from WSU with a bachelor’s degree in international business. Like Hollander, he works at a company that boasts a number of Shockers, including InSite partner Curt Robertson fs ’87 and Amanda Stucky ’05.
In addition to Hollander and Unruh, the association’s 2007-08 executive committee is comprised of Tammy Allen ’81/85/95, vice president of development programs; Jan Meyer ’87, vice president of university programs; Kaye Monk-Morgan ’93/96, alumni programs vice president; Steve Shaad ’77/77, vice president of membership; Collin Stieben ’00, vice president of finance, secretary-treasurer; and Trish Brasted ’96, immediate past president.
Board members beginning terms this year are Steve Cohlmia ’74, Bob Gutschenritter ’70/75, Joe Kisner ’81, Phil May and Jackie Williams ’67.
Wichita
MBA Society Premier Event
Some 25 Shockers — including Bart Hildreth, interim dean of WSU’s Barton School of Business, and Angela Dudley ’98/05, MBA Society chair — met at Oeno Wine Bar the evening of Aug. 30 for the society’s first Meet & Greet event. Among attendees were David Solter ’82/04, Steve Thomas ’02/05, Aramide Pinheiro ’00/03, Darin Helsel ’98/05, Dale Tutt ’06, Anthony Dispenza ’01/03/04, Jeff Pacha ’00, Deb Schwemmer ’97, Ben Yokum ’05, Erika Chance ’06, Ashley Gibson ’02/05, Aaron Ryan, Elizabeth Desbien ’03/04, Charlie Claycomb ’71/91, Patty Yoon ’88/00, Leah Barnhard ’83, Jay Hathaway ’01 and Arlene Thomas ’97/01.
MBA Meet & Greet 2
Oct. 25; 5:30 p.m. — MBA Meet & Greet 2, Oeno, 330 N. Mead St., in Old Town.
Nursing Student Orientations
The WSU Nursing Alumni Society helped host orientation sessions for new undergraduate nursing students on Aug. 15 and incoming grad students on Aug. 29. Among the Shocker personalities welcoming students at one or both of the sessions were Peter Cohen, dean of the WSU College of Health Professions; Susan Kovar, dean of the WSU Graduate School; Juanita Tate, associate dean of health professions and chair of the WSU School of Nursing; Alicia Huckstadt ’75/78, nursing professor and director of the school’s graduate curriculum; Betty Smith-Campbell, associate professor of nursing; Kathy Winslow ’04, society president; and Debbie Kennedy ’94, alumni association executive director.
Rise & Shine: Gregg Marshall
Wichita State’s 26th head men’s basketball coach Gregg Marshall tipped off the 2007-08 WSU Distinguished Alumni Speaker Breakfast Series with an Aug. 30 address that drew some 540 Shockers and friends, including Steve Boleski ’85, Dan Carney ’53/04, Max ’57 and Lois ’56 Hubbard, Joe Kisner ’81, Mark and Cindy Schumaker, Marilyn and Dan fs ’85 Waller, David Wenz ’76 and Marilyn Wells fs ’87.
Rise & Shine: Becky Ediger
Tue., Nov. 6; 7:30 a.m. — Becky Ediger Breakfast, Marcus Welcome Center. Former Secret Service agent Ediger ’76/83 is the third of five speakers in the 2007-08 WSU Distinguished Alumni Speaker Breakfast Series.
Shockers Forever
This fall, the WSU Student Alumni Association is being reorganized under a new name: Shockers Forever. For a $15 annual membership, students will enjoy such benefits as Shockers Forever merchandise, invitations to events and networking opportunities.
Shockers for Higher Education
Jackie Williams ’67 heads the Shockers for Higher Education Committee. He explains that SHE’s purpose “is to complement and assist WSU President Don Beggs and Eric Sexton, director of government relations, in their quest to inform our governor and state and national legislators about our exemplary university and its need to be considered when legislation affecting higher education is being discussed.”
Williams reports that committee members, along with others, provided information to legislators about needed building maintenance. The state legislature approved a five-year $380 million plan for the state’s education buildings. WSU received $5.6 million of that for deferred maintenance, beginning in July.
“We will be working on other issues for the legislative session that begins in January 2008,” Williams says. “Please consider being a part of SHE. It will not take much of your time. Our legislators need to know of our interest.”
Social Work Social
Thu., Nov. 15 and Thu., Jan. 17, 2008; 5:30 p.m. — Social Work Social, Margaritas Cantina, 3109 E. Douglas.
Shocker Pep Rallies, Watch Parties, Bus Trips & More
From Kansas City to Minneapolis and right here in Wichita, men’s basketball fans have a plethora of venues from which to choose to cheer on their team. Here are a few:
• Join fellow Shockers before the 7:05 p.m. tip-off to the Sat., Dec. 15 game versus the Kangaroos of the University of Missouri at Kansas City. This pregame pep rally, co-sponsored by the alumni association and the WSU athletic department, is set for Room 2502 of the Kansas City, Mo., Conference Center.
• If you live in or around the Twin Cities, then the place for Shocker watch parties is the Buffalo Tap, 4990 SW 123rd St., Savage, Minn., a south Minneapolis suburb. Andrew Punch ’02 tells The Shocker, “The owner of Buffalo Tap will have the Shocker game on any time they are on Direct TV.”
• In the Windy City, you’ll want to visit Crew, located at 4804 N. Broadway, Chicago, whenever the Shockers are nationally televised. Owned by Brian Wells ’87, this bar and grill has been selected “Best Sports Bar in Chicago 2007” by AOL CityGuide.
• In Wichita, Shocker men’s basketball watch parties for all away games — beginning with Appalachian State on Thu., Nov. 29 — are at Fox and Hound Pub & Grille, 1421 Waterfront Parkway, Webb and 13th.
• The WSU Alumni Association also sponsors booster bus trips to selected games — Wichita State vs. UMKC, Sat., Dec. 15; WSU vs. Missouri State, Tue., Jan. 8, 2008; WSU vs. Creighton, Sat., Feb. 2, 2008 — and to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament slated for Thu.-Sun., March 6-9, 2008, in St. Louis.
