ARIZONA
Shocker Open
The Arizona Alumni Chapter’s annual Arizona Shocker Golf Open was March 13. Thanks to the organizational efforts of chapter president Vic Heckart ’62, alumni gathered for fun on the greens followed by dinner at the Dobson Ranch Golf Course in Mesa. Two teams dueled to a first-place tie. Members of the winning teams were Mike Kucharo ’65, Neil Sikes ’56, J. Clark Stevens ’61, Rex Higgins ’60, Matt Dick ’93, Heckart (who also won one of two closest-to-the-pin prizes) and Sherm Gipson ’73/73 (who took home prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive).
Other players included WSU Alumni Association Executive Director Brad Beets ’87, Elbie McNeil ’49, Richard Nelson ’65, Bill Osmun ’90 and Lanny Van Eman ’62/65. After the competition, golfers were joined for dinner by Bob Deardorff ’56, Ruth Heckart, Ellie Higgins, Dana ’00 and Aaron ’98 Houdashelt, Susan Kucharo ’68, Phyllis McNeil ’51 and Earlene Nelson fs ’63, among others.
Says Heckart about the annual event: "From the postgame comments, I’d say that everyone is looking forward to the golf tournament next year. Several people have ideas about other courses we can play for variety. The best thing about our golf tournament and dinner was meeting new people."
CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Double the Fun
Bob Schutte ’67/69 and members of the Central Illinois chapter welcomed the nationally ranked Shocker baseball team and fans to the area as WSU played Illinois State on April 9 in Normal, Ill. The Shockers swept the series from the Redbirds, and Shocker boosters, alums, team members, parents and coaches enjoyed a postgame dinner at Jim’s Steak House in Bloomington, Ill. The next night, the chapter hosted another dinner at Jim’s for boosters and coaches.
HOUSTON
Out-Of-This-World Contacts
Wichita State alumni employed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston got together for an April 28 reception with Suzanne Henderson from WSU’s Cooperative Education department. Henderson made the trip to NASA to strengthen networking, interning and mentoring opportunities for WSU students interested in aerospace careers. Attendees included Jeff Kowing ’88, Tony Dao ’89/91, Summer Williams ’03, Jason Niebuhr ’01, Tom Reese ’83, Mike Groat ’03, Hung Nguyen ’83, Sundy Van Hauen ’03, Mike Read ’90, Chatwin ’88/91 and Samme ’90/91 Lansdowne and Steve Carothers ’95.
LOS ANGELES
On the Road
Los Angeles-area alumni and friends turned out to support the Shockers as WSU played a key non-conference baseball game March 24 at Long Beach State. Attendees enjoyed a pregame dinner and had an opportunity to meet some of the scores of WSU graduates and supporters who live in the area. Attendees included chapter president David Eads ’84/86, Bill Little ’58/60, Don ’59 and Donna Rowe, Larry Schoenfeld ’69/70, Shelli Herman ’88, Kathy Graves ’69, Georgia Childs ’87, John Klisanin ’58, Chuck McBride ’85, Mark Monroe ’80, Jerry Raithel ’59/61, Ann Wooley ’51 and Brian ’01 and Julie ’84 Tilley.
WICHITA
Jazzy Speaker
Thurston Briscoe ’74, program director for wbgo, stepped up to the mic to share a few stories about his professional journeys through the world of public radio on April 23. Briscoe was the concluding speaker in the 2003-04 Distinguished Alumni Speaker Breakfast Series. Among the attendees were Briscoe’s long-time friend Larry Damm ’71/78 and his wife Helen ’70 and family members Phillip Briscoe, Miquel ’67 and Pat ’90 Gomez.
Calling All Nurses
Members of the WSU Nursing Alumni Society hosted their 14th Annual Meeting on April 30 at the Woodman Alumni Center. Highlights included the presentation of the 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award to Judith Calhoun ’87, chair of the Emporia State University Newman Division of Nursing and the honoring of notable 2004 nursing students for their service to the community and university.
Attendees were treated to dinner, drinks and remarks from Michael Goodwin ’73/76/80, society president, and Juanita Tate, chair of WSU’s School of Nursing. Society business featured the announcement of newly elected officers: Carla Lee ’72/75/84, president-elect; Debbie Kennedy ’94, vice president; and J. Maria Jackson ’87, board of directors member.
Event attendees included Karen Wheeler ’81/98, Theresa Cooper ’93/94/01, Alicia Huckstadt ’75/78, Mary Koehn ’87/90, Tona Leiker ’78/84, Jan Riordan ’79 and Carolyn Weber fs ’03.
Cookin’ in the Wind
More than 80 Shocker baseball fans gathered for a pregame cookout on Coleman Hill for the May 16 game against Missouri Valley Conference rival Southwest Missouri State at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field. Sponsored by Pepsi Bottling Group and the House of Schwan, this alumni association event featured food, fun, drinks and the excitement of Shocker baseball. Attendees lunched on grilled hamburgers and hotdogs with all the fixings, potato salad, chips and cookies. Says Lea Ann McIlvain, the association’s director of membership and events, "Even though it was pretty windy, everyone stayed to cheer on WSU as they beat the Bears 9-0."
Among those joining the fun were Kathy Harter of Wichita with her family of 13, David ’74 and Jean ’74 Fahrbach of Andover, Kan., and Don ’78/85 and Joan Adkisson ’97 of Derby, Kan.
Rumble in the Jungle
Nearly 70 alumni and friends dared up-close encounters with selected animals at the Sedgwick County Zoo for a May 22 Spring Fling sponsored by the alumni association and its Young Alumni Connection. The afternoon of family fun featured a buffet lunch plus eye-to-eye encounters with a 3-year-old alligator and one of the zoo’s resident elephants, who painted a work of art.
Among attendees were Larry ’63 and Patricia Eck of Wichita, Iola F. Russell ’87/02 of Sedgwick, Kan., and Wesley Bergen of North Newton, Kan.
Senior Breakfast
WSU seniors Chad Mullet and Lindsay Sutton welcomed nearly 300 fellow seniors and other special guests to the Fifth Annual Senior Breakfast, in honor of 2004 graduates and sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings, the WSU Alumni Association and the Division of Student Affairs. The April 7 event was held in the Rhatigan Student Center Ballroom and featured WSU First Lady Shirley Beggs leading the singing of the university’s alma mater.
Family Ties
Fri.-Sat., Oct. 8-9 — One Shocker Family, part of the Student Activities Council’s annual Shocktoberfest celebration. Families of alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited to this weekend of events, featuring campus tours, recreational activities at the Heskett Center, family specials at Shocker volleyball games and campus museum tours.
Shocker Talkers
Mon., Oct. 18 — Shocker Honors Scholar Banquet. Wichita State alumni with positive WSU experiences to share are encouraged not only to attend this event in celebration of the academic successes of local high school juniors but also to sign up as "Shocker talkers."
