A handful of Emporia State faculty and staff members are candidates for the United Way of the Flint Hills’ Pie in the Face competition.

Signed up so far are Umair Abbasi, associate director of Marketing and Media Relations; Jason Bosch, director of Student Life Learning and Assessment; Lesley Bedner-Green, assistant manager of the Memorial Union bookstore; Tyler Curtis, executive director of Alumni Relations; Lorinda Duncan, chief financial officer of the ESU Foundation; Shanda Hendricks, front-end supervisor of the bookstore; Barb Kern, executive assistant of Academic Affairs; Damon Leiss, assistant professor of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; Mike McRell, manager of the bookstore; Bill Noblitt, executive director of Marketing and Media Relations; Wade Redeker, director of Residential Life; and Bo Swanson, fiscal systems administrator.

“I was asked by the division of student life to participate, and I said I would be happy to,” Bosch said. “It’s a fun way to help raise money for a good cause.”

Jars with the competitors’ photos are in the Office of Student Affairs in room 205 in Plumb Hall; the union bookstore; Marketing and Media Relations in the basement of Plumb Hall; the Office of Residential Life in room 308, Plumb Hall; Morse Complex; Towers Complex; and the Center for Student Involvement.

To vote, students, faculty and staff can put money in the jar of the person who they would like to see get a pie thrown in their face. The person whose jar has the most money in it at 5 p.m. Nov. 16 will be the “winner.” The date of the pie throwing is still to be decided.

“I’m hoping that we raise lots of money, but I guess I’m hoping I’m not the person that gets the pie in the face,” Kern said.

Several students have also stepped up to compete to have a pie thrown in their face. Those participating are Josiah D’Albini, Samantha Beye, Taylor Bullock, Matthew Chrome, Marissa Germann, Brooke King, Eni Ortiz, Juan Rosales, Brooke Schmidt, Stuart Sneath and Micheal Torres. All student jars are in the CSI.

According to their website, Uwfh.org, the United Way of the Flint Hills works to “advance the common good by building blocks for a good life – education, income and health.” The organization serves residents of Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties and helps families in crisis, provides mentoring and access to youth programs to children, gives shelter and support to victims of domestic violence and supports and cares for senior citizens.

The goal for this year, according to Gwen Larson, assistant director of Media Relations, is to raise more than last year’s $310.

Logan Rice, sophomore nursing major, explains the Up ‘til Dawn organization to Russell Cornelius, senior business administration major. Up ‘til Dawn set up a table in the union last week for students sign up for the letter sending party.

Lingzi Su/The Bulletin

Up ‘til Dawn, a student organization that raises funds for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, has raised about $3,000 toward their goal of acquiring $30,000 by the end of the school year, said Josh Woolhiser, rehab counseling graduate student and sponsorship chair for the RSO.

St. Jude is, according to the hospital’s website, devoted to “find(ing) cures for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases through research and treatment. And no family ever pays St. Jude for anything.”

Danny Thomas, who had prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes to “help me find my way in life,” opened the hospital in 1962. In 2005, the hospital completed a five-year, $1 billion renovation that more than doubled the size of its original facility.

One of the events held this year to raise money was a small tug-of-war tournament on Oct. 6. Eight people showed up to raise around $22, Woolhiser said.

The biggest event for the group is its annual letter sending party that will be held from 6-11 p.m. Nov. 5 in the Memorial Union Ballroom. Participating students are asked to bring 50 addresses to send pre-written letters to family, friends, and coworkers.

There will be a best-dressed award, prizes such as bookstore gift cards and a $200 Visa credit card, sports-themed activities and free food. ESU student hip-hop duo Gabe and Benny will also perform at the event.

Students can sign up individually, with a team of at least five people or with an organization.

This is the group’s fifth year raising funds for St. Jude, and in previous years they have done a Zumba event, a garage sale and a Pizza Ranch fundraiser.

“It’s (Up ‘til Dawn) a worthy cause because it brings students together on campus to unite to fight childhood cancer,” said Kayla Baker, senior nursing major.

Tess Hobson, senior communication major, said she thought Up ‘Til Dawn was a worthwhile cause because “there are children out there who don’t necessarily get to experience the same the things we do because they get sick at such a young age.”

Another upcoming event is “Manicures for the Cure,” the date for which is to be determined.

Senior business administration major and president of the Marketing Club Zhen Yin talks with Kansas Representative Peggy Mast last Thursday. They talked about business attitudes in the market place and work experience in the Memorial Union Skyline.
Yohan Kim/The Bulletin

Once a month the Emporia Chamber of Commerce sponsors Business After Hours, an event for chamber members to get acquainted, learn about businesses and hear about any promotions, new locations and events that are going on in Emporia.

“It’s just a great way for them to have other members come into their business and check it out, see what’s going on,” said Jessica Crumb, public relations coordinator for the Emporia Area Chamber and Visitors’ Bureau.

This month’s event was held last Thursday in the Skyline Dining Room in the Memorial Union. The union was chosen to host as a way to “celebrate the completion of the renovation and to get some of the community leaders into the Union,” said Dave Hendricks, director of the Memorial Union.

Attending the event for the first time this year was the Emporia State Marketing Club.

“Business After Hours is an event among business people, so it’s not actually for students, but we got the chance to go,” said Zhen Yin, senior business administration major and president of the Marketing Club. “It’s very good for business students because we can learn many things outside of the class and outside of the book.”

The Marketing Club is a student organization whose purpose is to help promote local businesses.

“What we are trying to do is to help or to promote local businesses for their productions, for their services, like whatever they are in need of,” said Sanghoon Baek, junior business administration major and vice president of promotion and advertising for the club.

Baek also said that in the past the club has helped businesses such as the Flint Hills Mall and Yoga Mama’s Ancient Yoga, and that Business After Hours is a way to look for similar opportunities.

As an RSO, the Marketing Club also does community service. They will participate in Trick Or Treat Food for Kids in October and Up ‘Til Dawn in November.

Anyone interested in joining the Marketing Club can contact advisor Joyce Zhou at xzhou@g.emporia.edu, or Baek at 620-803-8175. All ESU students are invited to join the club whether they are majoring in business or are just curious to learn about business.

Former student shares the love

“I have nothing better to do. And someday, someone’s really going to need a hug.” – Beta Rock

Beta Rock gives freshman elementary education major Randy Park a hug. He greeted anyone who needs a free hug on campus in the walkway between Brighton Lecture Hall and Morse Hall.
Yohan Kim/The Bulletin

About once a week, sleepy-eyed students either going to their first class or getting out of their first class see a man sitting between Morse Hall and Cram Science Hall with a whiteboard advertising free hugs and an inspirational quote.

This man, who prefers to be called “Beta Rock,” attended Emporia State for two semesters about a year ago before withdrawing due to personal reasons.

Boredom was what inspired him to start giving away free hugs, and he comes to campus about once a week from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“I have nothing better to do,” Rock said. “And someday, someone’s really going to need a hug.”

Originally from Detroit, Mich., Rock moved to Emporia to see a different part of the United States and because he had family living here.

“Detroit was getting old, and I wanted to see more of the world,” Rock said. “I had family here. My brother moved away, so (Emporia) was the easiest place to move without being immediately homeless.”

As for his inspirational quotes, Rock chooses from the Internet “anything that might inspire someone or remind them that life’s going to suck and you might as well be happy.”

Rock lives by the motto, “Life sucks, get over it.”

What Rock does is far from conventional, and some students are not completely comfortable with hugging a stranger.

“I think it’s weird that he just sits there,” said Hallie Luken, sophomore secondary speech and theater education major.

But for other students, a free hug is all it takes to improve their days.

“I stop after my first hour and give him a hug, and it brightens up my day,” said Gabrielle Garrison, freshman secondary English education major. “So it has a positive impact on my day. He knows that just by one gesture, he can probably make everyone’s day. I mean, it seems like he’s just trying to make everyone happy.”

Free hugs also make days brighter for Ashley Lamgdon, junior political science major.

“I think he’s awesome,” Lamgdon said. “He has a little inspirational quote board next to him, so those are always good, but it’s just like a little free pep-me-up kind of great thing.”

When he’s not giving away free hugs, Rock enjoys reading, walking, disc golf, video games and watching television.

“Nothing out of the ordinary because there’s nothing to do here,” Rock said.

Charmetra Walker, sophomore elementary education major, signs the sign-in sheet for Carly Horne’s, graduate teaching assistant, Developmental Psychology class. In Horne’s class, she uses the sign-in sheet method rather than calling roll.
Jenny Pendarvis/The Bulletin

Unlike in high school, in college there are no truancy laws forcing students to attend class. There are no mothers to wake students who sleep through an obnoxious alarm clock.

But some professors include attendance as part of students’ grades, providing for unmotivated students an incentive to attend class.

“I take attendance because I think it’s very, very important to know if students are there because if they are struggling with something and they were there, that means I, as a teacher, need to think of a different way to explain it,” said Catherine Bergman, clinical instructor of flute. “Whereas if they’re not there, they don’t understand it because they didn’t get the explanation in the first place.”

Bergman passes around a sign-in sheet daily, which students sign for credit points. Other teachers, such as Carly Horne, graduate teaching assistant, give attendance points on sporadic days throughout the semester.

“I take attendance every single day, but only 10 days of this semester are for points,” Horne said. “The students don’t know when the points days will be, so it’s important that they come every time because every time could be a points day.”

Other professors hold students accountable for attending class without taking role every class period.

“I don’t want to take the time in class to do it,” said Richard Sleezer, associate professor of physical geography, meteorology and soil science. “Some people are really, really strict about attendance, and they have their reasons. You’re hurting yourself by not showing up to class.”

For some students, professors who keep track of attendance give them motivation to go to class.

“It makes me get up in the morning and go to class,” said Emily Lang, freshman elementary education major. “I’m less willing to skip when I know it’s part of my grade to be there.”

Other students feel that they should be held accountable for their attendance.

“I feel like if a student chooses not to show up to class and fails because of it, that’s their own fault,” said Isaac Mullins, senior elementary education major.

But Hannah Rosenwald, junior sociology major, said she that taking attendance is actually a bit unnecessary.

“I feel like it does help the lower levels to secure attendance and actually provide for some extra points,” Rosenwald said, “but once you reach the junior and senior levels, I think there’s no reason to because the assignments that you have cost so much of your grade, and if you don’t go to class you just won’t do as well, and it’s your own fault by then.”

Courtesy photo of Sherrer

Originally founded in 1924, and chartered at Emporia State in 1961, the Blue Key Honor Society is resurging on campus this year.

“Blue Key is a national honor society,” said Gary Sherrer, former Kansas Board of Regents chair and ESU alumnus. “Essentially, people are selected for two things – one, their leadership abilities, and two, their willingness to serve.”

Sherrer will co-advise the group with President Michael Shonrock.

When it was chartered on ESU’s campus in the ’60s, the Blue Key Honor Society was “a national honorary leadership and service fraternity for men” and members were selected for their leadership ability, scholarship and service to the Teachers College, according to the organization’s website, Bluekey.org.

The website states, “Blue Key does not intend to build leaders, but to take them after they have established themselves, recognize their accomplishments and ability and form a group of men which will contribute to the welfare of Kansas State Teachers College.”

These days, women are also included in the organizations. In the past, members were chosen at the close of their junior year and participated throughout their senior year, but now the group will be open to juniors and seniors.

The Blue Key Honor Society is described on its website as “a premier honor society that recognizes college students at senior institutions of higher education for balanced and all-around excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.”

According to the website, selected members must demonstrate qualities of scholarship, leadership, service, and character and integrity. Benefits of membership include “recognition of scholastic, leadership, and service achievement on college campus, registration as a lifetime member of a respected international honorary society,” acknowledgement of “the contributions made by the top 1 percent of college students, opportunity to engage in service activities with peers, enhance leadership opportunities and experiences through organized interactions,” and to “participate in an international leadership conference that promotes leadership development, career advancement, and communication among Blue Key chapter members.”

The group will be officially re-chartered Oct. 12 with the dedication of the Blue Key Leadership Conference Room, located in the Memorial Union, room 216, and a reunion for former Blue Key Members. The money for the room was donated by former members.

“We raised extra money outside of the room just to pay for furnishings that will go in there, and we will have the history on the wall,” said Pam Konetzni, major gifts officer of the ESU Foundation.

The event is for members and invited guests only and will be held from 5-9 p.m.

In the past, Recognized Student Organizations struggled to keep up-to-date on what other campus groups were doing – until now. The newly-formed Hornet Squad will provide an opportunity for RSOs to come together to discuss ideas and talk about upcoming events.

“The Hornet Squad is an opportunity for student organizations to come together at the same time and place to collaborate, learn about informational resources on our campus and how to be better, stronger organizations,” said Mary Shivley, director of leadership. “Over the last year, a lot of student organizations really wished that they knew what other organizations were doing, possibly so that they can collaborate efforts when they’re doing the same kind of thing.”

Shively also said that often RSOs would want to bring in a speaker or put on an event but couldn’t fund it alone. The Hornet Squad would be designed to help groups find each other and help with funding if necessary.

“I highly, highly, highly encourage anybody who can attend those meetings to go because it’s going to be a great way to learn about upcoming events,” said Brooke Schmidt, senior Spanish major and president of Associated Student Government. “Right now we’re kind of just gearing it up for RSOs so they can collaborate and work with one another, but if a student wants to come, that would be a great avenue to learn about events that are about to happen on campus and what organizations are doing.”

One of the goals of the Hornet Squad is to inform all of the RSOs of things that are going on around campus.

Schmidt said the Hornet Squad will provide one meeting place where individuals can reach out to all student organizations in person, rather than relying on email or other forms of communication.

“I think it’s going be a great opportunity for student organization leaders to come together and collaborate, share ideas, share resources so that hopefully it will be mutually beneficial for all the organizations involved,” said Jason Bosch, director of Student Affairs Learning and Assessment.

The group’s first meeting will be at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Preston Family Room in the Memorial Union. Other meetings will be Oct. 10 and Nov. 14. All meetings will begin at 4 p.m. in the Preston Family Room.