I love you, Wichita State
A journalist has the role of being a watchdog. That’s important in Washington and it’s just as important at Wichita State.
Uncovering truth and shining light has given The Sunflower, at least in some pockets of campus, a reputation for being a bunch of angsty college students bent on imploding the university.
It would be more accurate to say we are journalists commited to preserving what we’ve grown to love about Wichita State.
I love the old brick buildings, the beauty of the gardens in September, the sculptures and statues. I love the back alleys and random sights one sees when skipping Italian class to explore every nook and cranny of campus.
I love walking through the Rhatigan Student Center at lunchtime, seeing all the Greek students mingling in the middle, the Super Smash Bros. pros playing one last match near the west exit, and the smells and long line at Chick-fil-A.
I love the great friends I’ve made here, many of whom I found outside of my home domain of Elliott Hall. Some are poetry geeks, others fledgling artists. Some share my views on issues, some fall far on the other end of the spectrum. Discourse is a healthy thing.
I love the great professionals I’ve met here — from the mentoring I’ve received in Elliott Hall to the writing coaching I’ve received in Lindquist, to the relationships I’ve found all over.
Some subjects of stories I’ve written — such as Darryl Carrington, community liaison — have become more than just a subject. Darryl became someone I look up to, someone I go to for advice, someone I see as a friend. He is, to me, an embodiment of what this school is all about. Darryl and others have shaped how I view my school.
I love that I never feel like a number. I’m part of a community, one that, for me, starts in Elliott Hall and ends outside the confines of campus. I’ve learned so much about this city and its people just by hanging out on campus. I never knew a school could be such a big part of my identity.
I love you, Wichita State.
Andrew Linnabary was the 2018-2019 Digital Managing Editor of The Sunflower. He studied journalism and minored in English. Linnabary is from Wichita, Kansas.
Fake Pres. Bardo • Sep 28, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Aww I love me too.
I wish all the students felt love at WSU, but I know they don’t. Over 50% of students fail to graduate in 6 years. When will the real Bardo start to grow concerned about the massive amount of students not graduating and becoming alumni to help pay for things? When will the stupidity of building university housing that costs students more per month than a monthly mortgage with food? When will academics improve? When will LAS figure out that they need to require advisor meetings every semester instead of just handing you a paper of required courses and saying “here you figure out the pre-reqs and the order you need to take them”?
With great love,
Fake Pres. Bardo
?? • Sep 24, 2017 at 10:13 pm
Really–
Why did you feel compelled to write this?
Bob Hartsook • Sep 22, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Thank you for your love.
I am an old man, but I knew Frank Barton, I knew Tom Devliin, I knew Olver Elliott, I knew KT Woodman, I knew Mrs. Weidemann, I knew Mr. Heskett, I knew Rusty Eck and Ron Tyler, I knew Duane and Velma Wallace, I knew Howard Marcus and his family, I knew George Ablah, These men and women with their successors have built the infrastructure of Wichita State. I was proud to have solicited virtually every dime these donors made during my Armstrong Presidency. What is also important, but not as vivid as a buildings is that we added 13 new PhD’s to only three that existed at the time (forgive me if I am off a number or two) that qualified WSU as Kansas’ Urban Resarch University. WSU also completed one of only 30 $100 million college capital campaign in the world from 1985 to 1989 (BTW a decade before KU and KSU completed campaigns above $100 million.).
My company, Hartsook, has just completed its 31st year. I have returned from Europe where the company and I have been acknowledged as the most influential impact on philanthropy in the world (I was honored to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Business.). I want to share that Wichita State was an early place where we began his legendary and iconic adventure that has now been recognized to change the world.
I, too, love WSU. I wish you could have known Oliver Elliott. He was a philanthropist to virtually the day he died as on his death bed he gave $500k to Exporation Place. I know Ellotit is your home, he would like know that, but the men and women I mention above who I was privileged to help each express their love would love your message. Each student will as you have reflect their home by talking about a building they studied.
Enjoy your WSU, I am looking forward to watching it continue to grow.
BTW, in case you wonder, I am a big fan of President Bardo. I have told him, my President Armstrong and I are very proud of his fulfilling the opportunity that WSU has. Congrats, Mr. President! For what it is worth, we are with you!!!