Bones & Bling
For the past 20 years, Alan Detrich '74 has made a lucrative living as a professional fossil hunter. Although he's made millions of dollars on his major dinosaur finds, which now reside in museums and private collections the world over, the MFA sculpture grad has given up his hiking boots and turned his attention to, well, to "Jurassic Jesus." Created from prehistoric fossils, precious metals and bits of machinery, Detrich's 500-pound sculpture (or "religious icon," as he describes the work) stands as a unique fusion of science and religion. A native of Great Bend, Kan., the sculptor moved last January to Lawrence, Kan., where he took up studies in jewelry making, sculpture and paleontology at Kansas University. His goal? Perhaps a Detrich sculpture in the Vatican.
Newest Digs
WSU President Don Beggs makes weekly visits to monitor the construction progress of Wichita State's newest digs: WSU Westside. The new 24,000-square-foot one-story building near 37th and Maize Road is targeted for completion in time for spring semester classes in January 2006. Interested in checking out the progress for yourself? Visit http://webs.wichita.edu/west/, where you'll find photos and information on the new building.
Tango Craze
This summer a new dance craze swept Wichita: the Argentine tango. At the center of all the excitement is Safira's Center for World Dance, which is co-owned by Tim Seitz '77/87. Seitz, who holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a graduate degree in aeronautical engineering, relates that he discovered tango about a year ago in New York City, while there with his wife and a group of Middle Eastern dance students. He learned milonga, or social tango, from a NYC instructor — and brought the new moves home with him. "For whatever reason, tango has this kind of mystique to it," he says. "It's romantic, it's beautiful."
Survivor Package
For the second year, the WSU Alumni Association and Shocker Athletics are teaming up for Rockin' the Roundhouse, 6 p.m., Sat., Nov. 5. With food and drink, live music, entertainment and silent and live auctions, the event is sure to offer a swinging good time to all. Included in the scores of Shockers who are donating time, effort and items to the fund-raiser is Jeff Probst fs '84. As the host of CBS's Survivor series, he's spearheading the live-auction offering of a trip to Los Angeles for the finale of the Survivor series. For details about Rockin' the Roundhouse, visit RnRWSU.com.
Trading Spaces
When the producers of TLC's interior design show "Trading Spaces" were planning to film the redesign of the living room of a farmhouse near Manchester, Okla., they knew just who to call for expert help: Vicki Flores fs '71, the head of the design department at Accent Interiors in Wichita. But how did they know? Flores says she doesn't know, but since Wichita is the nearest large city to Manchester, "I'm guessing they went through the phone book." The result of Flores' savvy pre-shopping for the "Trading Spaces: Town and Country" episode aired for the first time last June on TLC, Wichita's cable channel 43.
Capitol Hill Dress
Scott Stucky '70 is general counsel for the Senate Armed Services Committee, whose members pen legislation that affects such military issues as base closings and defense contracts. The WSU history grad brings an impressive set of credentials with him to his Capitol Hill job: a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School and a distinguished military career, for instance. Shocker visitors to Capitol Hill's Russell Senate Office Building should keep an eye out for Stucky. On casual days, he's the Washington insider in the Wichita State polo shirt.
Tusky Business
WSU archaeologist David Hughes threw three railroad picks, four shovels and all the cans of Styrofoam household insulation he had on hand into his GMC pickup after he heard news reports about a possible mammoth tusk being uncovered during road construction at Kellogg and Edgemoor. A few days later, he was called in to assist with excavating and moving the tusk. WSU geologist John Gries was already in on the tusky business. He was the one to make a positive ID on the tusk. Hughes surveyed the site, looking for evidence of any ancient human activity. Not spotting any, he then oversaw the removal of the tusk which he suspects is the remains of a mammoth that died in the stream channel flowing through the area some 12,000 years ago. Hughes and WSU student volunteers reconstructed the Pleistocene Era tusk, which is now on display at Exploration Place.
Literary Feasts
KMUW FM89 has initiated a new book and dinner series called Literary Feasts. Guests are invited to enjoy a buffet of seasonal food and settle in for an hour of book discussion. Tickets are $25, which includes a $5 donation to KMUW, and are only available from KMUW FM89 Wichita Public Radio.
