US Airways is Top Dog
US Airways moved to the top spot in the Airline Quality Rating, a cooperative project conducted by Brent Bowen, director and professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute/School of Public Administration, and Dean Headley ’82, associate professor of marketing at WSU. The co-researchers used 15 elements important to consumers when judging the quality of airline service — and came up with these 2002 rankings: 1) US Airways, 2) Alaska Airlines, 3) Southwest, 4) America West, 5) Continental, 6) American, 7) Delta, 8) United, 9) Northwest and 10) American Eagle.
Anyone Can Jump
Anyone Can Jump Ben Clark ’02 gets a lot of “Huh?” responses when he tells people he’s a champion jump-roper. In fact, he’s both a national and a world jump-roping champ. Clark, who does crosses, spins, flips and multiple unders (in which as many as 11 ropes rotate around him) says his creativity has increased since he’s started jumping — and it’s a great cardiovascular activity too. Not only is jumping rope inexpensive (the equipment costs are low), Clark says virtually anyone can start: “You show them they can jump the rope one time, and you can’t get it out of their hands.” It’s the second time that’s the trick.
Boomshocker
Associate professor Jim Steck isn’t musically accomplished, and he doesn’t claim to be. What the aerospace engineer will take credit for is the creation of an instrument known as the boomwhacker, a PVC pipe cut to a calculated length in order to produce a musical note. Steck came up with the idea while teaching an acoustics class in mechanical engineering a few years ago. Now, his invention has been adopted by the Appalachian Christmas Quartet and incorporated into a new device known as the PVCiano, a vertically standing set of PVC pipes in varying lengths that is struck with a hammer. Steck’s next invention: a PVCiano — that flies.
Virtual Vows
Jason Bayless may be a single guy, but when it comes to weddings, he’s got the resources for planning that significant day. A WSU junior majoring in entrepreneurship and marketing, Bayless created the website wichitaweddings.com as a project while in Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas. He recently won a Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Award, given by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. NFTE chose 12 winners from its 55,000 graduates for this year’s honors. The website offers tips and advice, such as how to pick a photographer or a DJ, checklists, announcements and listings of wedding- related businesses.
Supasexy Scholars
Remember those palm-moist moments way back when, as you sat in anticipation of meeting your new professor? What would she look like? What was her teaching style? Students of today need not fret over questions like that thanks to ratemyprofessors.com, a website where students weigh in on teacher effectiveness and “attractivity.” Profs are rated with bright yellow smiling faces if they’re outstanding, green puzzled faces if they’re merely average and blue frowning faces if they’re below par. A chili pepper is awarded only to faculty who are deemed sexy. (Sources assure us ratings do not affect tenure or promotions.)
The (Un)Unemployment Blues
If you’re singing the blues because of a recent layoff, Chuck Koeber, WSU assistant professor of sociology, has some expert advice to offer. He’s written a 99-page manual, “I’ve Been Laid Off — What Should I Do?,” which provides tips on how to cope with being unemployed. Koeber suggests that you apply for unemployment benefits ASAP and that you get in touch with your local labor department to find out about help centers and programs for laid-off or unemployed workers. He also counsels, “Don’t wing it.” Developing a written plan of action, he says, will help you accomplish your goals.
