 |
| Students line up outside Wilner Auditorium to pick up free T-shirts and fans before the Fall Convocation, Aug. 27. Inside, the WSU basketball band and Spirit Squad set the right tone and tempo for convocation speakers, including WSU President Don Beggs and Vice President of Student Affairs Ron Kopita. |
Wichita State’s third annual Fall Convocation, held in Wilner Auditorium on Aug. 27, helped ignite a sense of Shocker community.
“My favorite part was seeing all the students come in,” said Susan Ratz, WSU director of housing and residence life. “I love to see the returning students, the new freshmen and faculty together.” Organizers of the event included Ratz, Ron Kopita, vice president of student affairs, and Tisha Cannizzo, admissions coordinator.
Kopita was the first to speak — after dancing with WuShock and WSU President Don Beggs. Kopita introduced head basketball coaches Mark Turgeon and Darryl Smith. Turgeon said every successful program has student support. Smith reminded everyone the women’s games will be held at Newman University during the Roundhouse Renaissance. (Men’s games will be played at the Kansas Coliseum.)
“We have an awesome president here,” Smith said. “This is a great day for celebrating our university.”
Keeping tradition alive was a huge part of the festivities. Kopita wore a 1947 freshman beanie and a 1948 jacket. “WSU is filled with tradition,” he said. “You should all take great pride in being here.” Kopita then had faculty and staff members stand for recognition, stating, “This is what community spirit is all about.”
Next came Beggs, who wished everyone a “great start to what will be a really good year.” He praised the students present, saying, “You have a greater probability of succeeding than those who blew this off,” and ended his speech with “Go Shocks!”
Peter Cohen, professor and dean of the college of health professions, asked the student body to get involved, nurture relationships and “keep high expectations about yourself in relation to your world.” Finally, he challenged everyone to get to know at least one faculty member this year.
Student Body President Adam Kice also wore a traditional jacket on stage. He referred to WSU as a family, and spoke about the Sept. 21 Race for Rachel, a fund-raising event for Rachel Fletcher, a WSU senior in need of a double-lung transplant.
Kice also told everyone to take pride in the athletics and organizations at WSU, including the Student Activities Council. Kice, like Cohen, ended his speech with a challenge: “Be more than a student, be a Shocker.”
Awards for the student organization flag competition were then handed out. Fourth place, receiving $50, was the Non-Traditional Students Association; third place, receiving $100, was the Student Physical Therapy Association; second place, receiving $200, was the College of Health Professions; in a tie for first place, receiving $300 and a share of the traveling trophy, was Delta Delta Delta Sorority and the Decorative Arts Guild.
The last part of the convocation featured a 2001-02 WSU memory video, produced for the third year by WSU student Jason Ridder.
Outside Wilner, 47 organizations had information booths set up for students while they ate free lunch.
Even new students felt good about the events. “This really feels like everyone’s a family. I feel so welcome here,” said Amie Hammons, a recent transfer from San Antonio, now a WSU junior in special education. “I loved watching the president get up and dance.”
Everyone had their favorite parts. “My favorite part was the overall general enthusiasm and participation,” Beggs said. “I hope the students knew they were the focus.”
— Rachel Johnson
Edited for space and reprinted with permission from the Sunflower
