Source: Anna Zeiger, azeiger@k-state.edu
Photo available. Contact media@k-state.edu or 785-532-2535.
News release prepared by: Corene Brisendine, 785-532-2535, briz@k-state.edu

Thursday, July 1, 2010

K-STATE STUDENT FROM OVERLAND PARK FINDS NICHE IN RAISING MONEY TO HELP OTHER STUDENTS AFFORD AN EDUCATION

MANHATTAN -- Anna Zeiger, junior in nutritional sciences and premedicine from Overland Park, chose Kansas State University over other schools because the campus felt like home.

"It seemed a lot more real and personable and not so much of an institutional," Zeiger said. "It was more my personality and I ended up getting a decent scholarship here."

Now Zeiger is helping other students find a home at K-State by making their education more affordable.

Zeiger became involved in student activities right away at K-State. Her favorite organization is K-State Proud, a student-led philanthropy that raises money to help other K-State students. It is guided by the K-State Student Foundation and offered through the Kansas State University Foundation. This year K-State Proud worked with Michael Wesch, an assistant professor of anthropology who was named Professor of the Year in 2008 by the CASE/Carnegie Foundation.

"He helped us make a YouTube video about random acts of kindness on campus," she said.

K-State Proud students ran around with fists full of money, handing it out as students passed by the K-State Student Union. They even surprised a student by paying for her books at the Union Bookstore. They also walked to Aggieville and helped parallel park a car by picking it up and setting it into the parking space. Their video, "Students Helping Students," can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_npqbMKzHl8.

"This is how students are helping other students and really promoting the idea that K-State Proud is not just a T-shirt slogan," Zeiger said. "It's about doing these things for your fellow students to help them have the same K-State experience you are."

K-State Proud currently gives two awards, the K-State Hero award and the K-State Proud award. Five Hero awards of $500 awards are given each semester to unsung heroes on campus.

The K-State Proud award is determined on a case-by-case basis and can be used for anything from gas money to tuition, Zeiger said. "We gave one scholarship to a student from Greensburg who was affected by the tornado and wouldn't have been able to come to K-State otherwise," she said. The average award is about $1,300.

Zeiger said K-State Proud has given more than $100,000 during the past four years and has raised close to $350,000.

Zeiger also is active in her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. She said she loves having her sorority sisters in her classes and is glad to have them around after a long day of work.

As for her future career plans, Zeiger said she has always wanted to be a pediatrician because she likes kids and enjoys working with people. She said she wants to have the kind of patients she can build relationships with over an extended period of time.

She plans to apply to the University of Kansas School of Medicine this fall.

"I'm going to wear purple scrubs every day at KU Med," Zeiger said. "I'll be that guy.