“We kind of laughed about the fact that we’re going to be as shocked as everyone else is. They could be setting them on fire for all we know.”
– Beth Tully of Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates on the Shocker-themed chocolates and other products that she and WSU gave to “Mike & Mike” to use on the ESPN 2 show Friday
“Really, where’s Amtrak when you need them?”
– WSU’s Joe Kleinsasser, who experienced several issues with United Airlines on his Tuesday return from Washington where he helped release the school’s Airline Quality Rating, which ranked United as the worst-performing airline out of 14 on its list
“Wichita State can’t get football because if we did, KU would want football, too.”
– City Council member Pete Meitzner teasingly misquoting WSU President John Bardo at Rotary Monday
WICHITA — Wichita State University is one step closer to new campus housing, which is a goal president John Bardo established not long after his arrival last year.
Spokesman Joe Kleinsasser confirms that Memphis-based EdR has been chosen as the developer for new 700-bed campus housing.
Farha Construction, in partnership with Dondlinger and Sons Construction, is the contractor, and Howard & Helmer Architecture is the architect.
Kleinsasser says the final contracts aren’t signed.
“It’s a matter of ironing out details,” he says.
Look for more information soon.
“I notice as I get closer to retirement, they keep saying he will make short comments or brief comments.”
– Wichita State University president Don Beggs after being introduced at Thursday’s Cooperative Education breakfast
WICHITA — After a decade of doing commercial real estate forecasts every January, Grubb & Ellis/Martens Commercial Group is now going to partner with Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research to do the forecasts each fall.
Steve Martens’ company will be a major sponsor of the Wichita Area Outlook Conference and provide an exclusive commercial real estate forecast at the conference.
“We feel it is a stronger avenue for us to reach customers and clients with relevant commercial real estate information,” Martens says.
It’s a bigger one, too, since CEDBR director Jeremy Hill is expanding the conference’s reach.
“It’ll give us statewide coverage,” Martens says.
“I’m just glad they can’t see my transcript.”
– WSU alum and Wichita Eagle writer Bonnie Bing, who is receiving the President’s Medal Sunday
WICHITA — The new Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has a Wichita connection dating to the 1800s, but even co-president Kemper Isely wasn’t fully aware of it until the Colorado chain started preparing to open here.
The store opens the day before Thanksgiving in the former Borders Books space at 1715 N. Rock Road.
Isely’s parents, Philip and Margaret Isely, started the chain as a regional grocery in 1955. Philip Isely is a Montezuma, Kan., native. Kemper Isely knew that, but he didn’t realize his great uncle William Henry Isely’s importance to Wichita State University.
At the April 1973 dedication of Isely Lane at WSU, then-president Clark Ahlberg praised Isely and Nathan Morrison, who was president of Fairmount Institute, which became Fairmount College – the forerunner of WSU.
“Were it not for Dean Isely and for his colleague, President Morrison, who came in the following year, we might not now be enjoying this beautiful campus with its enduring and encompassing educational advantages and facilities,” Ahlberg said, according to a transcript of his speech.
Henry Isely
The transcript says Isely began his career at Fairmount in 1894 as a history and political science teacher. He became principal within a month.
“The story is told that immediately following his arrival in Wichita with his wife and youngster, Merrill, he heard that Fairmount Institute … was to be closed,” Ahlberg said. “With Merrill in his arms, he pleaded with the trustees to preserve Fairmount.”
Ahlberg said Isely was “the stabilizing force and the academic leader at the college.”
“I’m Lou Heldman, and I’m the interim director of the Elliott School just because Les didn’t feel like doing it.”
– Heldman’s remark when he spoke at popular WSU journalism professor Les Anderson’s roast Thursday evening
“Koch, which has always been a very quiet company in Wichita, is getting a lot of unwelcome attention nationally, and that was the reason we scheduled the session, and it’s now also the reason they . . . decided to cancel.”
— WSU’s Lou Heldman on how Koch Industries communications director Melissa Cohlmia, citing security concerns, canceled an on-campus appearance to discuss crisis communications Thursday (Heldman will still lead the talk at 9:30 a.m. at the CAC Theater)