Source: Mindy Weixelman, 785-532-7523, mindyw@found.ksu.edu
Hometown connection for: Derby, Fredonia, Hutchinson, La Crosse, Manhattan, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Prairie Village, Shawnee, Topeka, Valley Center, White Water and Wichita. Also for Walnut Creek, Calif., and St. Louis, Mo.
News release prepared by: Andrew Zender, 785-532-7648, andrewz@found.ksu.edu

Monday, Aug. 22, 2011

AMBASSADORS OF PHILANTHROPY: K-STATE STUDENT FOUNDATION SELECTS NEW MEMBERS

MANHATTAN -- A student group that promotes philanthropy at Kansas State University has 13 new members.

Members of the K-State Student Foundation are ambassadors of philanthropy for the university. They focus on raising awareness among current and future alumni about the importance of giving back to K-State as well as cultivating philanthropy across the university.

"This year’s new member class is made up of a diverse group of campus leaders," said Nick Moeder, La Crosse, Student Foundation president. "We're proud to welcome them and can't wait to see all that they will contribute to K-State's philanthropic goals through our organization."

New members are selected once a year through a competitive application and selection process. Candidates must demonstrate an interest and willingness to serve as leaders for the student body in promoting the importance of philanthropy.

Sponsored by the Kansas State University Foundation, the Student Foundation works with the university foundation staff and volunteers to uphold the mission of uniting philanthropic desires with university priorities. The Student Foundation has 35 members who participate in a variety of activities, including alumni interaction, professional development, stewardship phone calling, campus hosting and scholarship management and awarding. They coordinate the K-State Proud student campaign, which has raised more than $450,000 for K-State Proud Student Opportunity Awards over the past five years. Members also plan and coordinate Senior Sidewalk, a program that offers graduates an opportunity to commemorate their legacy at K-State by purchasing a granite stone to be placed along the Memorial Stadium sidewalk from the K-State Alumni Center to Ahearn Field House.

New members of the Student Foundation and joining Moeder as a 2011 Student Foundation executive officer include:

Chris Kellenbarger, Derby, new member; Carissa Rogers, Fredonia, new member; Joe Falter, Hutchinson, new member; John Grice, vice president of students, and Jared Rogers, new member, both from Manhattan; Abby Guenther, Ottawa, new member; Reagan Kays, Pittsburg, new member; Madeline Sanders, Prairie Village, new member; Claire Carlson, new member, and Andrew Waldman, vice president of membership, both from Shawnee; Abbey Brown, Topeka, vice president of alumni relations; Jake Pritchard, new member, and Brett Seidl, new member and secretary, both from Valley Center; Grant Hill, Whitewater, new member; and Erin Clopine and Allison Morris, both new members and both from Wichita.

From out of state: Javier Lopez, Walnut Creek, Calif., new member; Aaron Bisch, St. Louis, Mo., new member.

"We are proud to welcome the newest members of Student Foundation and thank them for their willingness to step into this leadership role," said Mindy Weixelman, senior director of annual giving and student programs at the KSU Foundation. "The organization is built on the philosophy of students helping students and developing a culture of philanthropy at K-State."

Philanthropic contributions to K-State are coordinated by the KSU Foundation. The foundation staff works with university partners to build lifelong relationships with alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students through involvement and investment in the university.