WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Spring 2015

Bracket Chatter

Women United for the Shockers

BY CONNIE KACHEL WHITE
WuShock at Bracket Chatter
WuShock greets Bracket Chatter attendees at Deano's
Grill & Tapworks on March 16, the day after Selection
Sunday. 

Filling out NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament brackets netted some serious fun for members and guests of Women United for the Shockers, who gathered March 16 at Deano's Grill & Tapworks in Wichita for food, drink – and some collegial rivalry.

Attendees of Women United's second Bracket Chatter get-together listened to expert guidance from Mike Kennedy '71, award-winning sports broadcaster and longtime “Voice of the Shockers,” and then focused their energies on completing their own 2015 tournament brackets.

At last year's inaugural Bracket Chatter event, it was Suzanne Luginbill '76 who submitted what turned out to be the most complete tournament brackets, proving she was the best of the group's 2014 hoops prognosticators.

As a token of her Bracket Chatter win, Luginbill was awarded a trophy – a prize that, judging from their levels of concentration while filling out their brackets, this year's event-goers were clearly focused on winning.

Among the WU members and their guests vying for the 2015 Bracket Chatter win were Paula and Dan Alefs, Mickey Armstrong '45, Kathy and Mike '77 Burrus, Cindy Carnahan '73, Janie Carney, Pamela Clancy-Ammar '80, Diane Cline and Anthony Pollack, Junetta Everett '79, Gloria Farha Flentje, Pam Hamrick '70, Debbie Haynes '76, Joy Heinrichs '00, Bonnie Bing '70/76 and Dick Honeyman '61, Debbie Kennedy '94, Dana Fleming '78 and John Mastio, Aimee Shank Moeller, Kathy and J.D. Munley, Sharon and Phil '64 Neff, Alberta and Bernie '61 Nichols, Lynn '64/92 and Don '59 Stephan, Kate Taylor, Paula Varner and Sherl and Tony Weatherbee.

Joining WuShock in welcoming Women United members and guests to the event was Courtney M. Marshall, who became the 11th top administrator to lead the WSU Alumni Association in its 102-year-old history when she took up the duties of president and CEO in early January.

“This group – Women United for the Shockers – is extraordinarily important to the WSU Alumni Association and its mission,” Marshall says. “Women United members have a simple goal: to build and grow an endowment that will help fund alumni association operations and initiatives for years to come. Each member pledges $1,000 per year, for a minimum of five years. In return, members are invited to special, one-of-a-kind WU events – like Bracket Chatter.”

Marshall adds, “As crucial as this group's goal is for the future growth of the alumni association, what strikes me most about Women United is – the individuals themselves. It's been such a pleasure meeting and getting to know the members, and I'm looking forward to working with them on many future WU projects and events. When they get together – what an absolutely fun and energetic group of Shockers!”

After March 26 when Wichita State lost to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in their Sweet 16 contest in Cleveland and after the last bracket of the NCAA tournament was completed April 6 with the Duke Blue Devils downing the Wisconsin Badgers for the national title in Indianapolis, the winner of this year's WU Bracket Chatter contest was revealed: Bonnie Bing Honeyman, with a total score of 293. Congrats, Bonnie!


WU MEMBERSHIP ROSTER

Jan Aaron • Julie-Ellen Acosta • Paula Alefs • Rachel Allen • Susie Anderson • Donna Ard • Mickey Armstrong • Patsy Barton • Sharon Bastian • Shirley Beggs • Joan Beren • Nancy Blackman • Trish Brasted • Martha Buford • Kathy Burrus • Vicki Cady • Cindy Carnahan • Gayla Carney • Janie Carney • Beverly Cash • Marla Chandler • Pamela Clancy-Ammar • Becky Clark • Diane Cline • Karen Clothier • Dorothy Cohen • Missy Cohlmia • Kelley DeGraffenreid • Paula Downing • Mildred Edwards • Debbi Elkouri • Jean Elliott • Patti Elrick • Junetta Everett • DeeAnne Fahnestock • Brenda Farha • Gloria Farha Flentje • Katy Field • Kyle Futo • Carolyn Grier • Patty Grimsley • Renee Hahn • Pam Hamrick • Debbie Haynes • Esther Headley • Joy Heinrichs • Bonnie Bing Honeyman • Tracy Hoover • Linda Howell • Corey Johnson • Anita Jones • Debbie Kennedy • Elizabeth King • Katherine Kirk • Jacque Kouri • Karen Lentell • Kim Lett • Suzanne Luginbill • Gayle Malone • Barbara Mann • Rose Marcus • Courtney Marshall • Lynn Marshall • Dana Fleming Mastio • Linda Matson • Dee Michaelis • Aimee Shank Moeller • Shelly Moore • Terri Moses • Kathleen Munley • Sharon Neff • Alberta Nichols • Sherry Nichols • Susan Onofrio • Margaret Opara • Kristin Price • Sharol Rasberry • Gloria Russell • Renae Ryan • Cindy Schwan • Kathy Sexton • Jan Shannon • Patricia Sherwood • Connie Simcox • Nicki Soice • Lynn Stephan • Pegi Stephenson • Lisa Sutherland • Kate Taylor • Rhonda Turner • Alissa Unruh • Paula Varner • Marilyn Waller • Sherl Weatherbee • Carol E. Wilson • Sheryl Wohlford


AT THE CENTER

Shocker fun under the big tent

The WSU Alumni Association's BAT Party was on May 5, before the Shockers took Tyler Field for a game against the Wildcats of Kansas State.

Bracket Chatter

Filling out NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament brackets netted some serious fun for members and guests of Women United for the Shockers, who gathered March 16 at Deano's Grill & Tapworks in Wichita for food, drink – and some collegial rivalry.

WSUAA's Shockers Forever Host Nearly Naked Run

No one – not organizers, nor sponsors or participants – was surprised by the cold weather during Homecoming 2015.

Shocker Legacy and "Drive Your Pride" Scholars

Recipients of two alumni association-administered scholarship programs – the WSU License Plate Scholarship and the Legacy Endowed Scholarship – were the center of attention during a congratulatory reception the evening of April 20 at the Woodman Alumni Center.

Happenings

WSUAA News and Events

Shockers Forever Update

From manning Welcomefest tables at the beginning of the 2014-15 academic year to packing semester-end goodie bags for Shocker students studying for finals, Shockers Forever can close the book on another successful year of student alumni association activities and events.

Shocker Faces

Shocker Snapshots

From the Chair

As my term as Chair ends, this memory reminds me that there is much more to complete with the changes in the Association. I will continue working to advance the organization as directed by Mindy McPheeters. Mindy is a great choice for the next Chair, and has shown strong leadership and commitment.

From the Alumni Association President

The first few months of any new job is exciting, stressful, challenging …