The 153rd anniversary of Emporia State University’s founding was celebrated during the 2016 Founders’ Day luncheon on Friday afternoon at Webb Hall in the Emporia State Memorial Union.
“Reflections of the Common Good,” which paid homage to how Emporia State is changing lives for the common good by living its mission of preparing lifelong learners to work in rewarding careers and practice adaptive leadership, was the theme for 2016 Founders’ Day.
“Founders’ Day is an opportunity to honor our heritage, to reflect on our vision and mission to serve the common good, and to celebrate how the university impacts the lives of our current students and alumni via the wonderful work of our faculty and staff in partnership with the community and Hornet Nation at large,” said Tyler Curtis, executive director of alumni relations. “Today’s celebration did a lot to tell that story and recognize several of our wonderful educational partners.”
Special guests for the ceremony included Kellogg Society members, a society of individuals who have made a planned gift to Emporia State University. Other special guests included members of the Black and Gold Circle and President’s Club, alumni, community leaders and trustees.
The Founders’ Day 2016 luncheon kicked off with the traditional birthday cake cutting. This year, the ceremonial cake cutting included Emporia State President Allison Garrett and two students — Janet Weaver, Associated Student Government president and Elayna Coleman, Emporia State Ambassador president.
The City of Emporia received special recognition for passing a proclamation claiming the 2016 Founders’ Day celebration was hosted on “Emporia State University Day” in Emporia. Weaver also announced that ASG and Lyon County each passed resolutions at their most recent individual meetings.
The late Steve Hanschu was recognized for his unique service to Emporia State, earning the University Service Citation award. Hanschu came to the university for an education and stayed to help others gain their educations. He worked as a student assistant in William Allen White Library, was hired full-time in 1979 and was research librarian and instructor there at the time of his death on April 10, 2015.
“The University Service Citation award recognizes ‘unique’ and ‘significant’ service to Emporia State University, and Steve’s passion, commitment, and service to the university fit that definition precisely,” said Curtis. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to recognize Steve’s dedication to the Hornet Nation. This is the first time this award has been presented posthumously. Steve loved ESU and he loved history. Now he gets to make history.”
Hanschu was one of a unique group of alumni who received degrees from all three of the university’s named incarnations: a bachelor’s in 1974 from Kansas State Teachers College, a master’s in library science in 1976 from Emporia Kansas State College, and a master of science in history in 1978 from Emporia State University.
Locally, Hanschu served the Lyon County Historic Society and Emporia Main Street. He was recognized as an authority on historic tax credits, design, and historic preservation on local, state and national levels, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and as a director of the Kansas Preservation Alliance. Hanschu is credited with saving Kenyon Hall from demolition, a building that has now been fully revitalized and repurposed as the Kenyon Heights senior living apartment complex.
Hanschu was author of “Emporia State University,” published by Arcadia Publishing, to mark the university’s 150th anniversary, and donated all proceeds to benefit White Library. Hanschu and Emporia State professor Dr. Darla Mallein were co-authors of “Emporia,” a part of Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series, published in 2015.
Dr. Mel Storm presented the two winners of the fourth annual 1863 scholarship essay competition. Funded by the President’s Community Advisory Council, the 1863 scholarship essay competition was eligible to any Emporia State student except spring 2016 graduates. The two winners were chosen based on who best wrote an essay between 750 and 1,000 words about how Emporia State has changed his/her life.
Wichita student Bekah Lane was awarded $863 for her essay, “Emporia State: An Ocean of Opportunities.” Lane, who is a senior in biology with a concentration in zoology, wrote about how the decision to take Department of Biology Associate Professor Dwight Moore’s 10-day Tropical Field Ecology course in the Bahamas changed her life. In her essay, Lane described how the trip allowed her to life a lifelong dream of swimming with dolphins and helped her see herself earning a master’s degree in marine biology. Her full essay is online at http://bit.ly/1KLkiIa.
Bill Blair of Shawnee, Kansas, earned $1,000 for his essay called “To the Professor Who Changed My Life by Teaching Me to Fish.” Blair, who is earning his graduate degree in biology, discussed his appreciation for 2013 Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor Dr. David R. Edds. Blair said that, under Edds’ mentorship, he went from being an undergraduate student who just knew he wanted to work with fish to a graduate student researching fish in Nepal. Blair’s full essay is online at http://bit.ly/1Xos7FD.
Before the ceremony, President Allison Garrett met with members of the Kellogg Society, a group of donors who have made planned gifts to the University. A bell-ringing ceremony took place after the Founders’ Day 2016 luncheon in Beach Music Hall on the Emporia State campus. Friday’s bell-ringing ceremony honored an estate gift from Elaine Slater for Music Education Scholarships.
“Celebrating Founders’ Day was wonderful,” said Garrett, “as we looked at ways the university has been true to its mission over the years while also looking at the great future that we have ahead.”