For Alumni: How did you end up at Wichita State?

[shoxlax]

Interesting subject.

Mine was simple. My dad said if you want help paying for college I have three simple rules:
1. You go to Wichita State
2. You live at home
3. You work 15-20 hours per week

Love to hear your tale, even if you didn’t graduate from there.

[atlwsu]

My Dad taught at North High Mom stayed at home. Do not remember ever discussing collage with my parents, it was just assumed. They gave us a bedroom and food everything else was on us. Two sisters graduated from Friends, my brother & I graduated from WSU.

Got married (1972) when my wife had 2 semesters & I had 3 to go. Her Dad said he would pay for her tuition & books, but my wife & I agree we would pay our own way. I end up going 3.5 more years. We were as poor as church mise, but created some great memories. Great experience.

[Kung Wu]

Where do I start? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless ... *skip ahead* ... Jesus ... *skip ahead* ... Kung Wu got beat up in kindergarten ... *skip ahead* ... LOVED Star Wars ... *skip ahead* ... woke up from drunk stooper at WSU party, not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... dude in funny hat and robe handing me a paper affirming I'm a bachelor or something, still not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... witness NASTY Tekele Cotton dunk and defense and H8KU4ever!!!

[shoxlax]

Where do I start? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless ... *skip ahead* ... Jesus ... *skip ahead* ... Kung Wu got beat up in kindergarten ... *skip ahead* ... LOVED Star Wars ... *skip ahead* ... woke up from drunk stooper at WSU party, not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... dude in funny hat and robe handing me a paper affirming I'm a bachelor or something, still not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... witness NASTY Tekele Cotton dunk and defense and H8KU4ever!!!

Thought your stupor was still drunk

[Kung Wu]

Thought your stupor was still drunk

Probably will be when we play KU



And how did you know how to _actually_ spell stooper?

[ShockTalk]

Where do I start? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless ... *skip ahead* ... Jesus ... *skip ahead* ... Kung Wu got beat up in kindergarten ... *skip ahead* ... LOVED Star Wars ... *skip ahead* ... woke up from drunk stooper at WSU party, not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... dude in funny hat and robe handing me a paper affirming I'm a bachelor or something, still not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... witness NASTY Tekele Cotton dunk and defense and H8KU4ever!!!

Hey, I resemble those remarks!!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless ... *skip ahead* ... Jesus ... *skip ahead* ... Got my lip busted in 4th grade (NOT MY FAULT) ... *skip ahead* ... LOVED Star Wars ... *skip ahead* ... woke up from drunk stooper at parties, I remember how I got there ... *skip ahead* ... dude in funny hat and robe handing me a paper affirming I'm a bachelor or something, still not sure how I got here ... *skip ahead* ... witness NASTY Tekele Cotton dunk and defense and H8KU4ever (Yeah Baby)!!!

[Kung Wu]

Hey, I resemble those remarks!!

Brother from another mother!

[1972Shocker]

My Dad taught at North High Mom stayed at home. Do not remember ever discussing collage with my parents, it was just assumed. They gave us a bedroom and food everything else was on us. Two sisters graduated from Friends, my brother & I graduated from WSU.

Got married (1972) when my wife had 2 semesters & I had 3 to go. Her Dad said he would pay for her tuition & books, but my wife & I agree we would pay our own way. I end up going 3.5 more years. We were as poor as church mise, but created some great memories. Great experience.

My story is pretty similar. My dad was jig builder at Boeing. Mom stayed at home, really no choice about that with 10 kids. I really had no other choices financially and really never considered any other college plus Dave the Rave was my boyhood idol.. My wife and I were married in June 1971 after being engaged for 18 months. She had graduated form Vernon's School of Cosmetology. I had also had 3 semesters remaining. Worked full time once I graduated from high school and paid my own way. Accounting major. Took a minimum wage job in the Holiday Inns of Wichita accounting department. They had what was essentially a rotating intern job that they filled with a college senior every year. IIRC correctly they would get a about 200 applicants every year for that job. There were not a lot of internship opportunities back in those days. Took a pay cut from $2.10/hr at Pierce's Thriftway in the Southwest part of town to work take that job for $2.00/hr. I would have taken less but $2.00 was the minimum wage at that time. Best move I ever made during college.

That was a long time ago. I find it comforting that I can still remember those things.

The change in the WSU Campus since my time at 21st and Hillside has been monumental.

[Ta Town Shocker]

I didn't move to Kansas until I was a freshman in high school. My mom was a single parent and she had just recently graduated with a master's degree and started a new career. My goal was to study journalism at MU. I went on a few campus visits while in high school and even took a visit to KU. I remember while on a tour of WSU, someone asked if WSU had football. I wanted the college experience and didn't think I'd choose WSU. Ironically, nothing worked out like I'd thought.

I decided to stay in Wichita due to the financial burden of out of state tuition. In August, about the same time my first semester started, I took a job at a local shop and started dating my future wife. I changed my major to business as I figured it would provide more opportunities. I didn't get much of a college experience at all since I worked full time throughout. By the time I graduated 4.5 years later, I was a father and a homeowner. I went back about 10 years later and completed the MBA program.

[shoxlax]

My story is pretty similar. My dad was jig builder at Boeing. Mom stayed at home, really no choice about that with 10 kids. I really had no other choices financially and really never considered any other college plus Dave the Rave was my boyhood idol.. My wife and I were married in June 1971 after being engaged for 18 months. She had graduated form Vernon's School of Cosmetology. I had also had 3 semesters remaining. Worked full time once I graduated from high school and paid my own way. Accounting major. Took a minimum wage job in the Holiday Inns of Wichita accounting department. They had what was essentially a rotating intern job that they filled with a college senior every year. IIRC correctly they would get a about 200 applicants every year for that job. There were not a lot of internship opportunities back in those days. Took a pay cut from $2.10/hr at Pierce's Thriftway in the Southwest part of town to work take that job for $2.00/hr. I would have taken less but $2.00 was the minimum wage at that time. Best move I ever made during college.

That was a long time ago. I find it comforting that I can still remember those things.

The change in the WSU Campus since my time at 21st and Hillside has been monumental.

Thank you for taking my question seriously.

I guess they had some high level musical acts at HLA when you were in school. Did you catch any?

[Kung Wu]

When I was a wee lad my uncle raced motocross and because of that he had really cool stickers all over his bedroom door. STP, Penzoil, whatever. But the biggest sticker he had was a really big Wushock.

That was my first exposure to Wushock, and I remember that sticker scared the $**t out of me! I didn't know why he was so angry, or if he was real or not, but I knew he could whoop butt and I didn't want to get my butt whooped.

Then as my elementary or middle schools or whatever had different events at WSU, I was always on the lookout for Wushock. He was so mystical to me.

In high school my snobby friends would clown on WSU and K-State and talked up KU. My hick friends bagged on WSU and KU and talked up K-State. But I was on a soccer scholly and none of the in state schools had a D1 soccer team.

When I would visit my friends at KU, they were just straight drunk all the time, doing drugs, snobbier than ever, and failing classes left and right. And my friends at K-State were also drunk all the time but they were into bar fighting. It was way too hickish and obnoxiously stupid.

I took school a little more serious than my old high school chums, so I knew I wanted a more professional experience. So when it was time to hang up my college boots, I knew for sure I wanted to transfer and be a Shocker.

It didn't hurt that I ran into a couple former high school classmates that were both super pretty and wanted a third roommate to share an apartment with. Three's Company? Call me Jack! "Come and knock on our door ..."

Anyway, thank God I chose WSU because I met my wife when I came back to Wichita!

[ShockTalk]

Thank you for taking my question seriously.

I guess they had some high level musical acts at HLA when you were in school. Did you catch any?

HLA: Saw Sly and the Family Stone, Santana (that was great), Mountain, Black Sabbath, Chicago, Alice Cooper

They had outdoor concerts at the stadium: Saw Three Dog Night, Rod Stewart, Turtles (better than I thought it would be)

I'm sure a few others.

Here's a concert list site for HLA: Concerts at Henry Levitt Arena - Guestpectacular

[pogo]

We moved to Wichita in 1957 from Hoisington so my dad could complete his college degree. He had to quit OU after his father passed away and moved back home (Hoisington) to help support his mom and 4 brothers and sisters. Anyway Wichita was where he could work and go to school. Mom was a Registered Nurse and worked 3-11 so one of them was always home. Went to McLean, Marshall and North. Growing up I listened to the Shocker broadcasts with Gus Grebe and the GREATS of the early 60's. Recognizing my great lack of maturity my parents told me if I went to WSU for two years then they would send me where I wanted to finish. First year lived at home and worked part time during school and full time during the summer. My second year I joined a fraternity and still continued to work part time during school. My college experience got better 10 fold due to the activities like intramurals and participating in other social activities. I also found out that I was better at structuring my time when I didn't live at home and didn't feel like I had to explain why I came home so late. After graduating I spent 5 years in the USMC. My parents bought me a subscription to the Eagle and I cherished that Christmas gift each year since I could still follow my Shockers albeit later in the week. I think they wanted me to still feel connected to Wichita even though I was so far away. I have always realized how lucky I have been to have had such understanding parents, great friends i made while at WSU, amazed at the transformation of WSU from when I was an under grad and that Wichita with its faults and short comings I am still proud it is my home town.

[Onegreatracer]

I didn't, actually. Tried Wichita State for a semester after I graduated high school early but burnt myself out and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to play basketball at Friends. Didn't go so well there either. College just wasn't for me. But my father (and grandfather) attended Wichita State, I grew up in Wichita and other than stints in LA and a few other cities have lived in Wichita all my life. Will forever be a Shocker fan no matter where I am or what institution I attend.

[1972Shocker]

Thank you for taking my question seriously.

I guess they had some high level musical acts at HLA when you were in school. Did you catch any?

No. My plate was full and my pockets were empty. Once I did graduate in 1972 my 3 daughters came a long in 1973, 1975 and 1977. Concerts weren't exactly at the top of my to do list.