DAY IN

THE LIFE
A look into the lives of people within the
University of Kansas community

INSIDE
SECTION STAFF
EDITOR IN CHEIF
Emma LeGault
MANAGING EDITOR
Madison Schultz
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Paige Lytle
SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR
Kate Miller
ART DIRECTOR
Cole Anneberg
DESIGN CHIEF
Hallie Wilson
DIGITAL EDITOR
Hannah Barling
ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITORS
Brent Burford
Stephanie Bickel
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Christina Carreira
SALES MANAGER
Tom Wittler
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER
Scott Weidner
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
George Mullinix

16
KATE MILLER
@KateMiller

Located smack dab in

the middle of the country,
diversity might not be
the first word that comes to
mind when people think of
the University of Kansas.
Jayhawks? Sure. Basketball?
Definitely. But diversity?
Say Kansas, and people
unlucky enough to not have
visited here will say were all
farmers.
Anyone who has ever set
foot on Jayhawk Boulevard
knows the inaccuracy of that
statement. Not only does our
University host people from
all over the nation, but all
over the world as well. And
each one of these people has
their own unique story. Be it
an adversity hes overcome,
a dream she strives for, or
a passion she incorporates
into her everyday life, every
Jayhawk comes to this University with a different background. Thats what makes
our university so strong.
This section tells those stories. From the Chancellor to
the first-semester freshman,
everyone has an experience or memory that makes
their day unique. Some
of us have a Harry Potter
parody band in addition to
a student career; others have
already established a lengthy,
successful career in film or
voice performance. In other
words, everyone has a story
to tell, and The Kansan has
just barely scratched the
surface.
So the next time you sit
next to that person in class
for the hundredth time, I
encourage you to start up a
conversation and find out
what stories they have to tell.
Odds are, what youll hear
will surprise you.

14

12
6

18

Improve Lives
Lives.
s. Be a Research Hero.

PETEFISH
Celebrating 100 Years

PETEFISH, IMMEL, HEEB & HIRD, LLP

Attorneys at Law
Est. 1915

Founded in 1915, Petefish, Immel, Heeb & Hird, LLP is among

Lawrences oldest and most respected law firms. With over 150 years of
combined legal experience, our attorneys are equipped to be your best
choice for legal counsel in Lawrence. We strive to deliver outstanding
legal work for clients and provide counsel for individuals and businesses.
842

Have Free Time?

Help Advance Medicine!
Receive up to $250 per night
Receive $300 per referral
Bedside TVs and Free WiFi
Bring your laptop or use our PCs

Louisiana Street, Lawrence, KS 785.843.0450 PetefishLaw.com

Bring your gaming system

Call Today

913.894.5533

See if you pre-qualify at StudyForChange.com

3514 Clinton Parkway

785-832-2274

Meet Platos Closet employee Tirzah McFarland

I think knowing you're beautiful within is the first step, and second is not
being scared to be yourself. I started my own blog (Tailored-by-Tirzah) which
is all about recycling style and being fashionable on a budget. I began
coordinating photo shoots and use social media to inspire and teach others
how to express themselves through fashion. Working at Plato's Closet has
given me hands on experience, inspiration, and allows one to find what's new
in the fashion industry for the right price.

Q
A

What is your favorite part of being an employee at BTB?

My favorite part of being an
employee here, as cheesy as it
may sound, is being able to help
kids find the books they need, or
even the books they don't need
but might want. When a freshman walks through our doors at
the beginning of the fall semester, the overwhelmed expression
on their face is unmistakable.
Helping
them
through
the
process--the buying books part,
the selling books part, the
renting part, etc., is a lot of fun.
Over the years, we've had some
real characters working at the
bookstore, and that's been a
blast as well. War stories galore!

Austin Quick
Junior

1741 Massachusetts St.

Lawrence, KS 66044
785.856.2870

BACK TO THE BOOKS

24-YEAR NAVAL VETERAN FINDS NEW LIFE AT KU
BY KATE MILLER

oger Bushs day is much like

that of a typical student. He
wakes up early to take his dog
for a walk before class, comes home
for lunch, walks his dog again, then
returns to campus to finish classes
before coming home to have dinner
with his girlfriend. He spends
most of his free time working on
homework, and uses his weekends to
master algebraic jumbles. His major
is undecided, and hes spending his
first semester getting acclimated to
the college lifestyle.
Bush, however, can hardly be
considered a typical student. In his
49 years, Bush, a 24-year veteran
of the Navy, has seen 22 years and
8 months of active duty, co-owned a
successful entrepreneurial business
and raised a family, including three
children and seven grandchildren.
Following a short retirement phase,
Bush is back working full time
this time, as a student.
[My retirement] brought me to
KU, Bush said. Im trying to figure
out what I want to do when I grow
up.
Born in 1965, Bush was raised
in Parsons. The U.S. military was
integral to his life from the beginning:
Bushs nine uncles on his fathers side
were all members of the military, and
his uncle on his mothers side was
in the Navy, as well as Bushs older
brother. Bush followed the family
tradition, joining the Navy as a
welder after he graduated from high
school in 1984.
About halfway through my senior
year, I decided I was going to join the
Navy, he said. I wasnt interested in
school at the time, and that was one
way to get on a job track.
As a member of the Navy, Bush
began to travel the country and,
eventually, the world. Bush first
traveled to Charleston, S.C., where
he spent four years, met his wife and
had his first child. He decided to stay
in the Navy and was soon transferred
to New Orleans.
In New Orleans, Bush did a
short tour of duty on a patrol boat.
His third child was born in New
Orleans (the second was born in
Kansas). Bush was soon back at sea
in Northern Virginia. From there,
he began international sea tours,
sailing to places like France, Italy and
Australia.
For me, [the military] gave me
a greater sense of community and

appreciation for what we have

here, he said. When you go do
tours in different countries, and see
how these people live, and the lack
of facilities that we have on a daily
basis, its hard to even fathom unless
youve seen it.
The tours abroad were tough
on Bush and his family. A selfproclaimed mamas boy, Bush made
a point to return to Kansas whenever
he could, and he eventually lived in
Missouri for three years as a recruiter
for the Navy. However, Bush was
soon at sea again in the second Gulf
War.
I got to experience some good
leadership roles [on that ship],
he said. This type of a ship was a
smaller ship. In the first two ships I
was on, we had maybe 1,000 or 1,500
people on them. This one had maybe
200 people, so it was a real close-knit
community.
That tour was Bushs last sea tour.
After a period of shore tour in
Washington, during which he was
responsible for overseeing ship
maintenance, he was promoted to
the rank of Senior Chief. It was at
this point Bush began to think about
retirement and found himself in
the middle of another successful
career.
One of my friends who I had
served in the Navy with called me up
and was trying to get me to start a
business with him, he said. It was
a spur of the moment decision. I
decided, This is what I want to do.
So two days after I retired, I went and
bought a drill and backhoe, and went
to work.
Bush worked for seven years
in the LMB Property Group,
an underground utility and
construction service based in
Springfield, Mo. It was a successful
career the company installed a
fair amount of the Google Fiber in
Kansas City, as well as miles of cable
for AT&T.
The downside [of the success] is
that it caused me to get a divorce,
Bush said. I was married to my
career instead of my family. I just
worked all the time.
About a year after the divorce in
2010 Bush began dating his ex-wife,
Dana Bush, again the reason
he would eventually retire. Three
months ago, Dana was named Dean
of Nursing at Rasmussen College,
responsible for both the Topeka and

Overland Park campuses. Lawrence

was conveniently located halfway
between, so that became Danas new
home forcing Roger to make a
decision: career or love.
I decided, you know, life is too
short, Roger said. Four and a half
hours of commute was too much
on the weekends, and my partner
agreed to buy my part of the business
out, he said. So I just decided I was
going to go back to school, and try
to figure out, for the first time in my
life, what I wanted to do.
Like many first-year students,
Roger is still deciding on a major.
At this point, he is interested in
pursuing geology or environmental
studies. A great deal of this interest
comes from his past experiences.
Im a big proponent of the
environment, he said. When I
first joined the Navy, I just couldnt
believe that everybody just threw
trash overboard into the ocean.
When you go to the Philippines or
someplace like that, theres just a band
of trash surrounding the coastline
its terrible. Mainly, I want to do
something like be a national park

ranger or soil conservationist do

something outside. I dont want a
desk job.
However, at the moment, Roger
is focusing on the present. After
30 years out of school, readjusting
to course loads and the difficulty of
schooling is his top priority. Most
difficult at the moment? Algebra.
It was never required in high
school, he said. So I spend all day
Saturday and Sunday doing algebra.
Yesterday, I spent six hours on Skype
with my son, because hes a math
major, while he was teaching me
algebra.
Not all of Rogers learnings come
from conventional classes. In
addition to learning new technology
systems, Roger said he has gained
a different perspective from his
younger classmates.
I learn a lot from [younger
students]. Yik Yak, for one, he said.
I have to go home and look stuff up
sometimes, when I hear you guys
talking. Ive always been around
younger crowds in the Navy, but its
different here. Better educated. A
whole different social aspect.

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

Roger Bush, a Navy veteran, reads

for class. This is Bushs first semester on campus as a full-time student.
Bush said he is undecided on a
major, but is interested in geology or
environmental studies as a result of
his time with the Navy.

FINDING
BALANCE
COLBY WRIGHT CHASES HIS PASSION FOR BASEBALL
BY ALEAH MILLINER

Balancing school and athletics is not

easy. However, junior Colby Wright, from
Castro Valley, Calif., who plays second base
on the KU mens baseball team, is able to
live out his passion for baseball while still
managing his education. His career on the
baseball team allows him to dream of big
things for his future.
A typical day for Wright is scheduled
from beginning to end.
From August through November, we
practice four days a week, Wright said.
Usually I wake up and head over to Oliver
to eat breakfast. I go to class from 9 a.m.
until 1 p.m. Then, I go to the clubhouse,
shower and change, and start doing early
outs, which means stretching and warming
up on your own. Practice lasts three or four
hours, then I head straight to weights. I
usually grab a muscle-milk, shower and I
attend tutoring Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. After that I usually
head back to the clubhouse to study.
During the baseball season, the team
6 KANSAN | DITL

practices every day besides Monday, the day

I grew up next to a lake, and when I go
it usually arrives back in town from away home I like to fish, he said. I really like to
games.
be outdoors. Its my favorite thing to do.
Wright said the biggest challenge in
Understandably, Wright spends a lot of
balancing school and athletics is trying time with his teammates. He says they are
not to let his academics affect his game on all like a family to him.
the field and not letting
We have a closebaseball negatively affect
knit team, he said. It
his academics.
is something I think is
The key is to keep
pretty special. My favorite
The key is to keep a clear
a clear mind, Wright
memory of my time so far
mind. I think the athletic desaid. I think the athletic
on the team is when we
partment does a good job of
department
does
a
traveled to the Dominican
monitoring us. And you have
good job of monitoring
Republic. It was basically
to schedule your time.
us. And you have to
a full-paid vacation. We
schedule your time. If
got to play the Indians and
COLBY WRIGHT The KC Royals, and two
you want to get good
Junior second baseman random club teams. We
grades, you cant really
procrastinate.
also handed out health kits
Even with a tight
to sugar cane villages, and
schedule, he still manages to fit in a little we got to play with the kids there. After that
bit of free time. Outside of baseball and trip happened, I knew I definitely want to
academics, Wright enjoys reading and travel the world more.
spending time in the outdoors.
Inspired by his trip to the Dominican

Republic, Wright said he would love to

backpack through Europe and also hopes to
visit Alaska.
Wright is studying sports management
and minoring in business. He plans to attend
graduate school in the future in pursuit of
a Master of Business Administration. He
hopes to one day be a general manager for
a sports team, ideally for a league in Italy.
I love seeing different cultures, he said.
I would love to go to different parts of the
world and experience them. I think if I was
able to travel and incorporate a job into that,
I would. I would try and look at the Italian
and Australian baseball leagues and maybe
intern first. If I could learn the language, I
would be open to working there.

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

ABOVE: Junior second basemen Colby Wright practices his swing in the locker room. Wright is both
a full-time student at the University and a member of the KU mens baseball team.
LEFT: When Wright isnt in class or at baseball practice, he said he is usually outdoors. Wright said
he grew up living next to a lake, so he likes to fish when he goes home.

7 KANSAN | DITL

JAMES HOYT/KANSAN

Trina Sieg, left, and Paul Thomas form 8th Horcrux, a musical duo that sings rock songs about Harry Potter. The two met in high school and quickly bonded over their love of Harry Potter and music.

WIZARD
ROCK

THE MAGICAL DUO BEHIND THE 8TH HORCRUX

8 KANSAN | DITL

BY LYNDSEY HAVENS

urrounded by books, youthful

grins and skeptical glances, the
duo that is the 8th Horcrux
prepares to dive into the beginning
chords of Bitch by Meredith Brooks.
Trina Sieg, singer and guitarist,
introduces the song.
This song is about Hermione
Granger and how she liked Ronald
Weasley, but he liked someone else, so
heres a song about that, she said.
Sieg, a senior from Ottawa, said this
is her favorite parody to perform,
properly titled, Witch. Sieg said when
they start to play this song she can see
parents worried expressions fill the
childrens section of the given library,
the duos primary performance space.
When we play at our library shows,
every show is different, Sieg said. You
never know whos going to be there,
if theres going to be two people or
200 people. You never know if your
performance is going to inspire one kid
to create their own band or try to do
something creatively with the media

that they like.

Witch isnt Siegs favorite song purely
because of the shock factor, though; she
said the song also has sentimental value.
It was the first song she presented to
her musical counterpart and boyfriend,
Paul Thomas.
Its really one of my favorites to
perform because it has that sentimental
value, Sieg said. And then the parents,
theyre nervous about it at first, but
then when I start singing the chorus
and its just about witches, they start
laughing with relief.
Sieg met Thomas, a senior from
Ottawa, during their sophomore year
of high school through extracurricular
activities. Upon realizing they shared
a mutual interest for music and Harry
Potter, the two started having jam
sessions together. It wasnt until the
summer of their junior year, when
they went to see Harry Potter and
the Half-Blood Prince, that an idea
materialized.
We reached out to each other and

were like, Hey, you like Harry Potter, I

like Harry Potter. I can play music, and
you can produce music, whoa, Sieg
said.
What started out as a fun thing to
show their friends at school quickly
took a turn when the Ottawa Library
reached out to Thomas and Sieg and
asked them to perform and present
their Potter parodies at the librarys
Summer Reading Programs. The duo
made connections through the series
and embarked on a mini library tour of
some of Kansas libraries the following
summer.
That really got me going about
presenting to [the children] about how
books are cool, Sieg said. Its cool to
like books and be enthusiastic about
what you love and Look at me, Im a
teenager, back then, and now 22, and
Im up here with my guitar being silly
singing songs about Harry Potter.
Thomas is an anthropology and
classics major and Sieg is an elementary
education major. She said the fusion of

her passions for music, children and

reading fuels her desire to teach, and
the library shows have really changed
the way they thought about their band.
At first we were like, Oh were a
parody band that sings about Harry
Potter, Sieg said. And then, eventually
we just started promoting reading
creatively and really reaching out to
kids to just tell them that its OK, its
OK to like stuff.
What started as a jam session in
a basement with a lone Logitech
microphone attached to a music stand
with duct tape has since evolved into
over 60 songs.
It was a pretty punk-rock setup,
Sieg said. To be specific, because I
remember things, I believe it was on
Harry Potters birthday.
July 31, 2009, the two said in unison.
Sieg said Harry Potter was at its
peak of popularity during that time
because the sixth movie had just come
out. Since its release, the two said its
possible people may be less interested
since it is no longer in the public eye.
We released an album and we were
kind of like, well this might be sort
of our last album, Thomas said. We
didnt say it was our last album but we
sort of thought it. But the problem was
we kept writing parody ideas; we kept
having them.
The lack of equipment that started
it all proved to be insignificant when
compared to the creativity shared
between Sieg and Thomas. While
Thomas draws his inspiration from
Weird Al Yankovich and a band called
Harry and the Potters, the duo also
cites the White Stripes dynamic as a
primary influence, as well as Lennon
and McCartney in terms of their
songwriting process.
At first we were just writing parodies
and recording them in the basement,
and then we moved onto playing shows
for kids and [the kids] were able to see
us connecting with a crowd and telling
our message to be enthusiastic about
what you like, Sieg said.
With graduation looming, Thomas
said he is really happy with where the
two are currently at with their music.
Were not super big so that it takes
up all our time and we dont have any
fun and were working for The Man or
something, Thomas said. But at the
same time, were still successful enough
that every once in a while Ill walk
around and someone will recognize
me, who I dont know, and theyll be
like, Oh, are you from a wizard rock
band, and Im like, Why yes, yes I am.

AND THEN, EVENTUALLY

WE JUST STARTED
PROMOTING READING
CREATIVELY AND REALLY
REACHING OUT TO KIDS
TO JUST TELL THEM
THAT ITS OK, ITS OK TO
LIKE STUFF.
TRINA SIEG
9 KANSAN | DITL

 

 












 













 








 


 
 
 





 
 


 


   

STUDENTS PREMIERE HOUSING SITE

RockChalkLiving.com

SEARCH DONT SETTLE



Free, Confidential

24/7 Crisis Counseling

Local Number 785-841-2345
National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline 800-273-8255

Chat live
Tues-Sat 11 p.m. - 2 a.m.
StayAliveToday.com

Were here

to listen
If you, or someone you know, is
depressed, thinking about
suicide, or in need of
emotional support, call now.
Help save lives! We offer fall,
spring, and summer training
and volunteer opportunities

HeadquartersCouncelingCenter.org

KansasSuicidePrevention.org

FROM THE COURT

TO THE CLASSROOM
PERRY ELLIS SUCCEEDS AS ATHLETE,
STUDENT IN THIRD YEAR

BY ALANA FLINN

ountless hours of practice, workouts and

games are just a few of the things that consume
junior Kansas basketball forward Perry Ellis
time. Even with an impressive basketball career
to maintain, Ellis insists on achieving good
grades as a major priority.
It was tough in high school, but here in college
its a whole other level and a lot tougher, Ellis
said. The key thing in high school I learned was
you have to knock out assignments and dont
procrastinate, and thats what Ive been trying to
do here in college and its definitely helped.
Ellis said he began prioritizing grades in
middle school.
I grew into it in sixth grade, Ellis said. Going
into seventh grade, I really figured it out.
From then on, Ellis pushed himself to achieve
high grades, especially after motivation from his
high school coach.
My coach taught me how to push myself in
the classroom; hes the one who really pushed
me to take challenging classes, Ellis said.
Throughout high school, Ellis maintained
a 4.0 GPA and graduated as valedictorian
from Wichita Heights High School. While he
managed to keep excellent grades and lead his

12 KANSAN | DITL

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

high school team to four-straight class 6A State

I just know I want to be involved around
Titles, Ellis said he didnt dedicate time to much sports, Ellis said. Being an athlete and meeting
else.
all these people will really help in the end,
I didnt really do much, Ellis said. Just a lot maybe coaching or agenting or something.
of Xbox, hanging out with friends, basketball
With his three years of experience on the
and school.
basketball team, Ellis knows that managing time
However, Ellis said basketball
and having a study plan is
wasnt always his main focus.
crucial for success once the
He ran track on AAU teams for
season begins.
a majority of his summers.
The key thing is just
The key thing in high school
I was real big into track at
taking
the notes and paying
I learned was you have to
a young age, Ellis said. It
attention in class and
knock out assignments and
was something I really didnt
studying, Ellis said. Its
dont procrastinate, and
like doing, I was just fast so
real tough in postseason
thats what Ive been trying
everyone just said I should do
play because you have to
to do here in college and its
it, and I was tall for long jump. I
travel so many days for
definitely helped.
didnt have the love for it.
games and youre gone for
Ellis was named to the
a long amount of time and
PERRY ELLIS you have tests you have to
Academic All-Big 12 Second
Junior forward make up. The key thing is
Team last season, which
requires a GPA of 3.0-3.19. He
getting in contact with the
is pursuing a degree in sports
teachers as early as possible,
management with a minor in business. While and they love seeing us succeed so theyre
he doesnt know exactly what he would like to rooting for us and want to help.
do with the degree, he knows networking as a
Ellis also knows that staying out of the public
player now will help him in the future.
eye and limiting things such as partying are

crucial, especially during tournament season.

During March Madness, a lot more people
are paying attention to you, the spotlight is on
you so you have to make sure youre doing the
right thing, Ellis said.
Ellis time on the team has helped him figure
out how to be both academically and athletically
successful.
Listen to your academic advisors and coaches
right from the go, thats key because youre
going to have to learn what they want you to do
whether its now or later, Ellis said. The sooner
you do that, the sooner you buy into the system
and the better its going to be.
To unwind at the end of a hectic day, Ellis
sticks to the same routine as when he was in
high school.
Im just real low key, Ellis said. I like just
chilling and talking with friends and just playing
an Xbox game.
While maintaining grades, classes and a
basketball career is challenging and time
consuming, Ellis loves being a student athlete.
Basketball keeps me busy doing something I
love, Ellis said. Its humbling to me, getting the
opportunity to play basketball here.

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

Junior forward Perry Ellis runs the ball past an Emporia State defender in one of this seasons two exhibition games. Ellis recorded 13 points in the Jayhawks 109-56 victory against the Hornets.
13 KANSAN | DITL

For the love

of the wild
A Colorado outdoorsman
finds his niche in Kansas

By Amelia Arvesen

As Andrew
Vogel flicks
a 6-foot graphite rod effortlessly
over his shoulder, yellow fishing
line follows the motion of his arm,
unfurling over Lake Henrys surface.
Vogels fingers were almost too
stiff from the cold to tie a fuzzy fly
to the end of his fishing line. It was
a 20-degree Friday afternoon in
November, one year since Vogel
visited the Lawrence lakes shore for
a game of catch and release.
Its very zen and very introspective
and contemplative, Vogel said. Its a
good thing to get out and hang out
alone on some water.
He left that evening with an empty
net, but planned to hunt whitetail
deer the next day in Coffee, Mo. This
is the type of weekend Vogel looks
forward to most.
Vogel, a fifth-year senior, grew
up in the mountainous terrain of
Greenwood Village, Colo. Even
without peaks in Lawrence, hes been
able to maintain an outdoor lifestyle
for the past five years.
When you have access to
mountains like that all the time, you
just do everything there is to offer,
he said. In Kansas, you have to look
harder, but its still out here.
He said hed consider himself a
fisherman though he also hikes,
runs, camps, skis and hunts. Vogel,
a minimalist, has one rod, one
reel, and a few flies he knows will
hook a decent sized trout, brown
or rainbow. In the back of his Jeep
Wrangler, decorated with a Kavu and
Browning Rifle decal, he packs only
what he needs, including a thermal
sleeping bag, a hammock and, of
course, a fishing rod with tackle.
Theres no preparing, Vogel said.
You just go out there.
Despite his mellow disposition,
Vogel said hes always restless for
the next adventure. During the
semester, Vogel said, he tries to get
out once every month, savoring the
season and sounds of the ecosystem
to last him until the next time he can
escape.
He said that for a while, it was
hard not to drop out of school. In
nature he finds himself the happiest
and feeling the most authentic. The
whole point of immersing himself in

the wilderness, he said, is to release

control. He said its wasted energy to
try to predict the environment.
If you ask too many questions you
miss out on the experience, Vogel
said.

In the Altitude

In August 2012, Vogel ventured

from familiar mountains into new
territory when he climbed Africas
19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro with
strangers. He was dropped off at the
base where he met his guide for the
first time.
Five days, and several climate
changes tropical rainforest,
timberline, rock, arctic tundra
later they reached the top. Different
worlds, Vogel said.
Every once in a while, youll catch
yourself. Youll look over a big drop
and think Wow, Im actually here,
he said.
He said he remembers feeling like
he was floating in the clouds, and
thought it was surreal that the same
ice his boots touched had been there
for thousands of years. Its what hed
imagine Mars would look like.
Its a cathartic experience to feel
that small and insignificant yet at the
top of something, he said.
And in only one day, he was at
the bottom again. It wasnt the first
time he had journeyed into higher
altitude. He trained that summer,
hiking six 14,000-plus-foot peaks in
Colorados range, some on his own,
some with friends like Sam Ancona,
a fifth-year senior from Centennial,
Colo., and a middle school pal.
Together, with one other friend,
they hiked Mount Bierstadt in the
Rockies.
I think its a sense of
accomplishment and you want to
relive it over and over again, Ancona
said.
Next on his Vogels list is the
20,000-foot Mount McKinley in
Alaskas Denali National Park. He
has his sights set even higher: He
said he will one day climb Nepals
monster, 29,000-foot Mount Everest,
no matter how long it takes.
My body is just used to knowing
that little air doesnt mean youre
going to die, Vogel said. It just
means you have to work a little bit
harder.

On the plains

In Lawrence, the air is different,

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

Andrew Vogel, a senior from Greenwood Village, Colo., fishes on Lake Henry in Lawrence. Vogel is an avid outdoorsman.

but nonetheless, Vogel said he

appreciates what the land has to
offer. Even in winter, snow wont
deter him from fishing. When he
does catch something, he said he
prefers to toss it back, out of respect
for the fish and the game.
If I catch a good fish, I hope one
day someone else gets to experience
that too, Vogel said.
Maybe it has something to do with
seeing the fish bite the fly, but David
Franco, one of Vogels fly fishing
buddies from Kansas City, said its
an intimate sport. The rhythm is
meditative and even when theyre
together, Franco said its easy for him
to forget hes with someone.

The best thing you can do for a

fly fishing partner is when you hit
the river, you walk the other way,
Franco said.
Out on the river in their waders,
Vogel and Franco exchange
knowledge of trial and technique.
Vogel said a lot of what he knows
is either from observation or selftaught, but hell never consider
himself an expert.
You just subject yourself to things
and you learn through doing it what
works, what doesnt work, Vogel
said.
Vogel said he has replaced
survivalist guides what he
considers childhood reading

with more existential writings

like Walden and Kerouac. He said
he connects with the idea of a
wandering soul.
When he graduates in May with a
psychology degree, hell have a year
off before attending medical school
to become a surgeon and cut people
open, a job he has always wanted.
He said he plans to use the time off
from school for exploring, preparing
for Alaska and finding meaning in
life.
Its a constant search, the whole
search is romantic in itself, Vogel
said. I think thats what makes it
fun.

15 KANSAN | DITL

FAMILY

DYNASTY
BY KATE MILLER

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

Clint Bowen took over coaching the Kansas football program after former head coach Charlie Weis was let go. Bowen played football for Lawrence High School and the University.

INTERIM FOOTBALL
COACH CLINT BOWEN
BALANCES HOME LIFE
WITH LONG WORK DAYS
It would be safe to say that Clint
Bowen lives, breathes and eats
football. Rather than a normal ninehour workday, Bowens days include
12 hours of football practices,
16 KANSAN | DITL

planning
and
administration.
Bowen looks forward to every day
he gets to do what he loves coach
football.
When the players walk in the
building, and you actually start to
get to the part of the job that we all
signed up for to coach football
and to be around the players
that when its a good time, he said.
The four hours of the day that
the players are here thats the

best part.
On a typical weekday, practice is
the first item on the list, with players
arriving early in the morning.
During the first practice of the
day with the whole coaching staff,
game plans and travel schedules are
solidified, injuries and personnel
are accounted for, and, of course,
the players get a tough workout,
supplied by Bowen.
After practice, Bowen prepares for

upcoming games watching game

reels and perfecting game plans.
Practice rolls around again in the
afternoon, and Bowen shares his
game plans with his players, reports
on recruiting efforts and sends his
players off for another two-hour
practice. While afternoon practice
ends at 6:30 p.m. for the team,
Bowen and the coaching staff spend
the next couple of hours reviewing
videos and notes from that practice.

A few recruiting phone calls are

made in the evening, game plans
are once again revised and Bowen
leaves the Anderson Family Football
Complex late in the evening, well
after the sun has set.
Born and raised in Lawrence,
Bowen has been a Jayhawk and a
football player since birth. Part of a
football family dynasty his father
was a high school All-American
and his brother played football for

Lawrence High and the University

playing football was inevitable.
Despite this, Bowen did not settle
into the family sport at the very
beginning.
I tried all the sports, he said.
[Football] was the one that seemed
to work for me the best. I tried
to play basketball, I tried to play
baseball, and the success wasnt the
same. It was pretty evident where
my body and my physical skill set
was meant to go.
This skill allowed Bowen to make
a name for himself as a player,
first in high school and then as a
defensive back at the University.
Now, as a coach, Bowen brings his
own personal experience into his
practices.
I think it helps to understand
that there is a part of this that is
difficult, he said. Its physically and
mentally difficult to go 12 weeks of
a college football season. Your body
is beat up, you get yourself on these
emotional highs and emotional
lows with wins and losses during
the course of the season.
Bowen has experienced his fair
share of wins and losses at the
University. The programs success
has varied over the years, but
Bowen remains optimistic, largely
because of the teams improvement
when he was a player here.
When I first got here at the
University of Kansas as a player,
we werent very good, he said. We
won three games my first year; we
had won one the year before. By
the time I left, we won nine. So I
get the comments that get made on
campus. I understood what those
comments meant I heard those
same comments in the classroom. I
think thats been helpful to explain
to you guys that there is a chance
for success. You have to work hard
to get it, but weve turned it around
before, from not being very good to
being very good. It can be done.
Although Bowen coaches 99
dedicated football players every
day, his favorite athletes arent on
the KU team roster. In fact, these
athletes havent even made it out of
elementary school.
Bowens two sons, Baylor and
Banks, are the youngest of many
generations
of
sports-playing
Bowens 10 and 8 years old,
respectively. Their father spends
most of his free time watching his

JAMES HOYT/KANSAN

Interim coach Clint Bowen congratulates Jimmay Mundine at the Nov. 15 game against TCU. After leading going into the third quarter, Kansas lost 34-30.

sons play various sports.

allow for that, he said. But its also
My life right now seems to be good to sit back and watch other
going to youth sports events year- guys deal with the things that come
round, he said.
with coaching.
Both of [my sons]
Coaching
has
have taken a liking
always been a
to that kind of
staple in Bowens
Any time you get to repreworld.
sent the University of Kansas family life. He
Specifically, the
met his wife at
... theres a special privilege
Bowen boys enjoy
the
University
that comes with that.
playing basketball,
when he was a
baseball, and, of
graduate assistant
CLINT BOWEN
course, football.
working on the
Interim head football coach
While their father
coaching
staff.
has not had the
Bowen has been
opportunity
to
in the coaching
coach them as of yet, he looks profession for the entirety of their
forward to the possibility of doing relationship, something he says is a
so in the future.
good thing for the two of them.
I kind of wish I could [coach
This job can be taxing on
them] at some point in time, but relationships, what with the time
this job situation doesnt really commitment it takes, he said. The

travel, the recruiting time it can

be hard on a relationship. The first
time we ever met, that was what I
was doing, thats where weve been
the whole time. My boys thats
the hardest part. When I leave, they
ask When am I going to see you
again? That parts tough, but they
understand. The season is the rough
part, and we always say were going
to make up for it in different ways
after the season.
While Bowens job limits some of
what his family can do, they make
the most of it in the little breaks
that he has.
We try to do as many fun things
as we can, he said. We like to hit
the lake, do a little boating. We like
to do some speed golfing, where I
hit it, and [the boys] just chase their
balls all over the course its like a

marathon for them. Were kind of a

little day-trip kind of family. Well
hit little goofy places around the
state and do different things.
Despite the time constraints
that come with the job, Bowen
looks forward to the opportunities
presented to him through his
profession. His love for the game
and the community where he
grew up motivate him to make a
difference with the chance hes been
given.
Any time you get to represent
the University of Kansas, and you
get to wear that jersey and helmet
that say KU on it, theres a special
privilege that comes with that, he
said, recalling his favorite part of
playing and coaching football. I
think theres a lot of pride in that.
17 KANSAN | DITL

SITTING DOWN WITH

CHANCELLOR BERNADETTE
GRAY-LITTLE
BY HANNAH BARLING

You know her as Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, the woman who

oversees the University of Kansas in
its entirety. But have you ever wondered what a typical day in the life of
our 17th chancellor is like, besides the
dozens of meetings and events she attends?
Each morning she wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., showers,
eats breakfast and gets dressed. She
takes her coffee black with sugar or
sweetener, but, If Im feeling very
expensive, Ill put cream in it, GrayLittle said.
She reads the newspaper print
edition, not online and drives to
her parking spot behind Strong Hall
by 8 a.m. She walks from her big
white house on campus only when she
doesnt have to go anywhere else that
day, which usually isnt the case.
After morning business meetings, its
lunchtime. Soup is usually her lunch
of choice the Italian wedding and
Thai chicken soup are her two favorites, but the tomato soup is something
Gray-Little isnt too fond of. If they
have that, I dont have soup, GrayLittle said.

Her arrival at
the University

Like many little girls, she wanted to

be a dancer when she was younger. By
the time she reached high school, she
didnt have a particular plan or specific area she wanted to go into.
I just wanted to go to college, GrayLittle said.
The chancellor received her bachelors degree in psychology from
Marywood College in Scranton, Pa.
She then went on to earn a Ph.D in
psychology from St. Louis University.
After working 38 years at the University of North Carolina, Gray-Little
interviewed for the position of Chancellor of the University in 2009. She
didnt even get the chance to see the
Lawrence campus until she was in her
final interview and being offered the
position.
I was being interviewed in Topeka
and my husband was there and I said,
Lets go and look at the campus,
Gray-Little said reminiscently with a
smile.
Gray-Little and her husband only
made it as far as the visitors center on
Bob Billings Parkway and Iowa Street
when she received a phone call from
the search committee, offering her
the job. They talked on the phone for

about 15 to 20 minutes, and told her

she had to come back to Topeka immediately for a press conference. So
they turned around and drove right
back.
I didnt get to see the campus until
later that day, and I was so happy it
was gorgeous, Gray-Little said.
Her favorite time of year on campus
is a tie between spring and fall. The
way the streets are laid out, the hill the
campus sits upon and the vibrant colors are reasons Gray-Little pridefully
thinks campus is just beautiful.

A few of her
favorite things

Owning between 20 and 30 blazers, Gray-Little is a very poised and

put-together woman. She maintains a
vegetable garden at home and tomatoes are her favorite vegetable to plant
and eat. She is one of eight children,
and celebrates the holidays eating and
spending time with her family.
Italian sausage is her favorite type of
pizza, although she doesnt eat it often,
and Sees Candies peanut brittle is her
go-to guilty pleasure.
If I have Sees peanut brittle, Ill eat
more than I should, Gray-Little said.
Gray-Little said she has traveled
all over the state, the region and the
coasts for work, and doesnt have a

particular favorite getaway. But there

is one vacation she tries to take each
year.
I like to go to the ocean at least once
a year, and spend some days there,
Gray-Little said. The Atlantic Ocean,
some of the beaches on the outer
banks of North Carolina.
Chancellor Gray-Little also likes to
sing. She listens to jazz, rock and roll, a
little bit of broadway tunes and coffeehouse music, but rock and roll is her
favorite genre, which she sings along
to in the car. However, even though
she usually sings in the car, shes not
afraid to belt out a tune in front of others.
Retired faculty were given a surprise
when they first met Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. During a meeting
in which they were celebrating some
birthdays, Gray-Little got up and
sang a birthday tune from a Saturday
morning radio show she and her family used to sing.
I got up and sang that song, and
they were just flabbergasted, GrayLittle said.

Being the Chancellor

and being Bernadette

Its not a balance in a sense of you

have time to do this and you have time
to do work, Gray-Little said when

asked how she manages her time between being the chancellor and living
a normal, everyday life.
Because of the way things are scheduled and the times of events, she said
even if it is a fun activity it might also
be work, so fun and work is a true
mixture for the chancellor.
The balance has to be in the perspective that you bring to work and
the way in which you approach the
work. More than in terms of the time,
Gray-Little said.
Gray-Little and her husband do a
variety of things together, many of
which connect to the University and
its offerings. Home games, plays on
campus and events at the Lied center
are a few examples. She said there are
more opportunities to do things here
than in a bigger city because theyre all
so close.
Being the chancellor isnt a part-time
gig. Even when shes at home, GrayLittle still deals with University issues.
However, she said there are many enjoyable aspects of being the chancellor.
The ones that come to mind as most
memorable are the ones in which we
are celebrating, such as celebrating an
achievement or a performance, GrayLittle said in an email. This includes
events such as Commencement where
we celebrate four or more years of

work on the part of our students, as

well as events honoring our faculty,
students, or staff for outstanding accomplishments.

Getting home

There is no typical ending time of

the day, Gray-Little said. She might
leave at 5 p.m., and come back to an
event at 5:30 p.m., then leave again at 9
p.m. Shes always going somewhere or
moving around.
When she finally does reach home
for the evening, Gray-Little changes
her clothes, eats a light dinner and
rarely turns on the television. In her
free time, she usually chooses to read.
Gray-Little just finished reading the
2013 Pulitzer Prize for fiction novel
The Orphan Masters Son by Adam
Johnson, and is currently reading
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the
Golden Age of Journalism by Doris
Kearns Goodwin.
The chancellor said her favorite part
of the University is the sense of community it encompasses and the collective identity among the students,
faculty, staff and alumni. You may
only know her as the chancellor, but
she is also Bernadette Gray-Little
the woman who likes to read, drinks
coffee every morning, occasionally
splurges on candy and loves her Jayhawks.

GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN

Chancellor Bernadette Gray-LIttle

works in her office in Strong Hall.
When shes not working, Gray-Little
said she enjoys attending campus
events like plays, performances and
athletic games.

19 KANSAN | DITL

SO FAR, SO GOOD

FRESHMAN DEVONTE GRAHAM ADJUSTS TO LIFE ON COURT, IN CLASSROOM

BY ALANA FLINN

undled in his warm-up sweats on

his way to class, freshman guard
Devonte Graham tackles the stairs
to Wescoe. As he does so, many
passersby do double takes at the
freshman basketball player.
For most freshmen, the first
months of school are dedicated to
figuring out the right ways to study,
what parties to go to and where to
park without getting a ticket. For
Graham, its finding a way to balance
school and playing for one of the top
five basketball schools in the country.
Youve just got to find it in yourself
to stay on top of your homework and
stuff, Graham said. Its hard with
basketball and traveling, but youve
just got to keep up with it.
Graham grew up in a single-parent

20 KANSAN | DITL

household with his mom and sister

in Raleigh, N.C. As the man of the
house from a young age, Graham
immersed himself in athletics in
hopes of earning a scholarship so his
mother wouldnt have to pay for his
college.
Graham played basketball, football
and baseball through middle school,
before deciding to focus on basketball in eighth grade.
Graham said basketball was the
best sport for him to pursue as a career.
Its something I enjoy and love to
do, Graham said. Once you figure
out something youre good at, you
just like to do it all the time and I
just love to play. Thats one thing I
can count on.
Now as a freshman student athlete,

Graham is starting to learn the ins

and outs of focusing on both basketball and school.
So far its been great, Graham
said. A lot of people know us around
campus and just being in this program has been pretty fun so far. At
times it gets overwhelming, but that
comes along with it, and you prepare
for it.
Graham said the most overwhelming experience he has had involves a
woman on campus.
Theres this one girl I always see
and every time I see her shes like
Do you remember me? I told you
to come here and follow your heart.
Every single time I see her, Graham
said.
The transition from being a high
school athlete to a college athlete

majoring in sports management has

been a big change for Graham.
[College] is way harder. The stage
is way bigger and its like a lifestyle
now, Graham said. In high school
you could always goof around, but
now practice is more serious and intense, and so is the competition.
Graham estimates he spends 40
hours a week on basketball, classes,
school work and tutoring.
Time management might be the
biggest challenge, Graham said. Its
hard to balance your time throughout the day with class, practice and
tutoring.
If he didnt decide to play basketball in college, Graham said his life
would be very different.
I think about it all the time, Graham said. Me and Kelly [Oubre]

were just talking about that the other

day, saying wed probably be at some
junior college at home.
Graham said basketball has presented many opportunities for him.
Its given me the opportunity to
travel the world, play high level
competition and do things I never
thought I could do, Graham said. I
go places I never imagined growing
up that you always see on TV, and
its given me the opportunity to get a
free education.
Even with the daily pressure and
busy schedule, Graham is content
with his decision to attend and play
basketball at Kansas.
I felt like it was the best place for
me, Graham said. I loved it when I
came to visit. It felt like home.

BROOKLYN ALEXANDER IS
A FRESHMAN MAJORING IN
COMMUNICATIONS FROM
ENGLEWOOD, CALIF.
Q: What made you choose communications?
A: I want to have my own non-profit
foundation and I want to have a PR
firm. Basically I want to take cancer
kids and children out to events and
make them feel as normal as possible
and educate them on natural health
that will counteract the chemotherapy.

GIVING BACK

STUDENT PLANS TO OPEN NON-PROFIT AFTER BATTLE WITH LYMPHOMA

Q: So what inspired you to do that?

A: My 10th grade year in high school
I was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, so basically I want to share
my experience. I guess its kind of like
my inspiration, so I want to share my
story with others and help them on
their journey as well, just like mine
was helped by others. Im actually two
years in remission.
Q: What was your biggest challenge
in overcoming that, that normally
people wouldnt think of?
A: The biggest challenge, I guess, basically would be feeling normal. Everyone looks at you differently, its

like everyone talks to you differently,

they make you feel kind of like youre
worthless. I felt like everyone wanted
to do everything for me and I hated
that, and people would like, come
around you and theyll make you feel
like youre gonna die the next day
type stuff and I didnt like that either.
I guess its feeling normal because I
couldnt do certain things that everyone else could do.
Q: What do you think got you through
that whole process?
A: My faith. God, and believing in
him and depending on his strength.

Q: So whats the name of your foundation?

A: Its gonna be called Brooklyns
Build-a-Bridge. Were building bridges with families, kind of filling that
gap that doctors dont give. Because
they really tell you that you can do
anything, you can eat anything you
want, when in reality the food that
you eat is like hurting you and it
breaks down your immune system
more.
Q: Whats the breakdown of your
foundation? It sounds like you will
have a lot of different things going on
with it.

A: I want to be the one to emotionally, and in a way financially, support children who are going through
cancer. I want to take them to events
and places like to the movies or going to get their wigs. Like maybe shut
down a whole movie theater, because
when you have cancer, you dont want
to be in big crowds because youre
more likely to get sick in big crowds.
I also want to educate them on natural health because that can be really
beneficial during chemotherapy. I got
sick one week, that was the week I lost
my hair. Basically what brought that
down was stress from seeing my hair
fall out it was just a lot to handle.
Other than that I didnt feel too sick,
I was tired sometimes, but not really.
21 KANSAN | DITL

SINGING A SONG
OF HER OWN
VOICE PROFESSORS CAREER
ON A HIGH NOTE

BY HALEY REGAN

Theres a grand piano in the center of the room draped in a vibrant

red cloth, covered almost in its entirety with music and photographs.
Theres a record player against the
wall, supporting a mass quantity
of leaning vinyl records. The bookshelves that line the room are filled
with knick-knacks, keepsakes, and
recordingslots of recordings. The
room is covered so heavily with
photographs, drawings, posters
and programs that the wall beneath
them is practically invisible. This office hosts a vast accumulation from
Joyce Castles accomplishments over
her 40 years and 135 roles as a professional opera singer.
Castle is currently in her 13th year
of teaching for the School of Music,
but being a distinguished professor of voice is only one small part
of her career. She spent 25 years at
the New York City Opera and 14
years at the Metropolitan Opera.
Castles voice has also taken her all
over the world. She lived in Paris for
seven years, Berlin for a short time,
and has sung in Canada and Japan.
She has sung for the New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony
Orchestra. Just this past summer,
Castle was in Brazil.
I just was in Brazil this summer
for the second time, doing Bernsteins Candide, Castle said. I sang
with Bernsteinobviously when he
was aliveCandide is a fabulous
piece of Bernsteins. Anyway, thats
where I got the Grammy. I got a
Grammy for Bernsteins Candide.
Thats what I did in Brazil. In June.
During the World Cupthat was
wild.
Castles performance background
is evident upon meeting her. Her
voice resonates and fills the room
whenever she speaks due to all of
the time she spent projecting her
singing voice over symphonies
and orchestras. She recalls details
of her performances as if they just
happened the day before. Her facial expressions communicate her
thoughts nearly as well as her words,
and she somehow managed to pose
mid-sentence for photos.
Castle was born and raised in
Baldwin. Upon coming to the University of Kansas, she was given the
choice to pursue a major designed
specifically for her. The Universitys
Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major
in voice and theatre can be accredited to Joyce Castle.

I had been doing so many plays

Mostly Im a theatre animal, she
and contests, and some people in said. I love to go into many differthe faculty here had seen me out ent kinds of roles, you see. Thats my
there, you see, she said. And so voice type too, Im a mezzo soprano.
they just made a particular major And we have a wonderful voice facfor me. Very exciting to have a lot of ulty here-- I did Sweeney [Todd] in
theatre and a lot of
Little Rock with
voice.
John
Stephens.
Castle has spent
John Stephens is
Im ever looking at how I
a large amount of
on the faculty [at
can be better. Looking at new KU].
her career singing, but said she
Castle
went
works, looking at new roles,
is passionate for
on to talk about
as long as I can.
the theatre. When
the opening of
asked about her
JOYCE CASTLE Swarthout Recital
favorite
role,
Voice professor Hall this comCastle
quickly
ing spring. She
responded with
expressed exciteMrs. Lovett, from the popular ment while describing the opening
Broadway show, Sweeney Todd. event, and said that she looks forStephen Sondheim, the composer of ward to performing in it at some
the show, happens to be an acquain- point. Famous pianist Leon Fleisher
tance of Castles, and she mentioned will be opening the hall on March
him attending some of her shows in 30.
New York. She continued to list othAnybody in piano would say,
ers, like Candide and The Ballad wow, because hes 85 years old, hes
of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore, as had an enormous career, she said.
her favorites to perform.
Despite the fact that Castle has

already had such a successful career in music, she says that she is
constantly looking for new ways to
broaden her experiences and learn
new things.
Im ever growing, hopefully. Im
ever looking at how I can be better.
Looking at new works, looking at
new roles, as long as I can, she said.
I will be singing until I feel that I
dont have something to give. And
its health. Its a lot about health.
Castle radiates with passion when
speaking of not only her own personal relationship with music, but
also the impact music has on people
all over the world.
It is my life. Music is my life, she
said. Its a very spiritual thing. Its a
very universal, encompassing word
for me, the arts. Thats what I think.
I think its the thing that keeps us
together and brings peace where it
can. Brings laughter where it can.
Brings coming together where it
can. I think it really can elevate a
situation, or calm somebody down.
Or make somebody happy.

FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN

Distinguished professor of voice

Joyce Castle is in her 13th year
of teaching at the University.
Throughout her career, she has
had 135 roles as a professional
opera singer.

OPENING DOORS FOR LIFE

NOW HIRING!
Part Time Weekend Warriors
6:30AM-5:00PM SATURDAY & SUNDAY ($12/HR)

AM A

Full time production all shifts and department supervisors

Industrial Maintenance Technicians
ONE OF THE WORLDS LEADING BRANDS IN DESIGN,
MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION OF SECTIONAL DOORS.