SAB PRESIDENT'S CORNER
INCOMING - EMILY HOWARD
Hello! My name is Emily Howard, and I will be a junior studying professional strategic selling and entrepreneurship in the fall. I had the great opportunity to grow up in a K-State household, and I quickly learned what made the K-State family so amazing. I have always been proud to call myself a K-State fan, and now I am excited to share that sense of family with others.
As my presidency with SAB begins, I am filled with excitement and anticipation of what the next year will hold. Since joining SAB, I have found it one of the most rewarding experiences. I have enjoyed every event that we have been able to assist with or plan, and I quickly became close friends with most of the members. I am thrilled to lead this high-achieving group of students and excited to work with them to accomplish great things.
Megan Klug and the previous executive team did a phenomenal job dealing with the pandemic and all it entailed. They found ways to keep the members engaged, even with masks and Zoom committee meetings. As COVID numbers continue to decline, the number of events and projects that SAB can work on has increased. The new executive team is eager to continue to grow SAB member engagement and events. We have already discussed guest speakers, career development opportunities and social events that we would like to see over the next year.
As president, I have the unique opportunity to serve on the Alumni Association board of directors and the Union Governing Board. Through both experiences, I will be able to learn more about alumni and current students' perspectives of K-State. This knowledge will be beneficial when planning ways to serve our mission of connecting K-Staters' past, present and future. I am committed to meeting with each committee, helping them set goals and supporting them in meeting those goals. I would also like to help each SAB member find their passion and help them develop that over their time in SAB.
SAB has already made a huge impact on my life, and I can't wait to see the impact I will leave as president. As past SAB members, I know that you all are high-achieving individuals and if you ever have suggestions for the group, please reach out!
OUTGOING - MEGAN KLUG
Closing the chapter of the Student Alumni Board is one of the most bittersweet things about graduating. When I first joined SAB in the spring of my first year, I never imagined my experiences and the friends I have made. As someone who has only ever lived in Manhattan, Kansas, having the opportunity to sit at the board of directors meetings made me feel a new level of connection to Kansas State.
As I look back on this past year, we have come a long way since last year. The mask mandate was lifted, which allowed us to meet in person and see everyone's smiling faces for the first time in so long! In the fall, we had great attendance at Grad Breakfast and had the opportunity to have a sit-down event instead of a drive-thru. Progress!
This spring, we continued pressing forward. We selected two incredible young professionals, James E. Millsap Jr. '11 and Dr. Sruthi Narayanan '11, '15. They have made significant impacts in their respective fields, and we were honored to celebrate them this February as they visited campus. We were able to learn so much through their keynote presentations.
Another highlight of this year was being able to hold the For Sophomores Only event. We had prospective students attend from near and far to go through our college simulation and teach them more about our K-State family.
This year's recruitment went so smoothly thanks to our vice president of membership, Reagan Riley. We were thrilled to welcome a group of 17 ambitious students to SAB. They all had wonderful presentations during the second round of interviews, and we are so excited to welcome them to the SAB family.
Though I may be entering a new role in my relationship with the Alumni Association as an alumna, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to grow and learn during my presidency. I am passing the torch to our new president, Emily Howard. She will undoubtedly foster the growth and development of SAB, and I look forward to seeing her lead.
Thank you to SAB and the Alumni Association for giving me one of the best experiences I could have asked for during my four years that went by way too quickly.
Always bleeding purple! Go 'Cats!
Remember your friends and all the fun you had with them in SAB?
Don’t you want to know what exciting things they are up to? SAB notes are a great way to stay connected with your friends and celebrate their achievements! We would also love to hear your great SAB stories while in college or reconnecting with SAB members as alumni. Check out our SAB notes and submit your own by using the link: https://kstatealumni.wufoo.com/forms/mgsfues02vp33u/
Welcome to the new class 2022-23
Avery Johnson, freshman in human development and family science, Beloit, Kansas
Terin Rundus, freshman in nutrition and health, Concordia, Kansas
Jim Gant, junior in electrical engineering, Council Grove, Kansas
Jaye Hrencher, sophomore in marketing, Hiawatha, Kansas
Jessica Binckley, sophomore in psychology, Kansas City, Missouri
Kaylyn Taylor, freshman regional and community planning (city planning), Kansas City, Missouri
Emmanuel Ugwuegbu, junior in biology, Lenexa, Kansas
Braeden Jackson, freshman in biology, Minneapolis, Kansas
Liz Wasinger, sophomore in construction science and management, Olathe, Kansas
Zach Wurtenberger, sophomore in mechanical engineering, Olathe, Kansas
Libby Farrell, freshman in marketing and sales, Omaha, Nebraska
Marika Davis, sophomore in strategic communications, Overland Park, Kansas
Adelaide Easter, freshman in bakery science, food science and global food systems leadership, Salina, Kansas
Mackenzie Waggoner, sophomore in agriculture communications and journalism, Topeka, Kansas
Carter Warta, freshman in industrial engineering, Victoria, Minnesota
Alex Niemann, freshman in biology, Waukee, Iowa
Nasiah Barber, freshman in human development and family science, Wichita, Kansas
GRAD BASH
SAB ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - Dr. Jessica Elmore '06, '15
Dr. Jessica Elmore is our SAB Alumni spotlight for this edition of the SAB Newsletter. She has recently taken a new position with Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Washington, DC. Student Alumni Board members will miss her, but what an opportunity!
Jessica received her bachelor's degree at Grambling State University prior to arriving at K-State. She graduated with an M.B.A. and then an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Kansas State University. Jessica worked as the associate director of diversity programs at the K-State Alumni Association for 12 years and served as an SAB advisor for 10 of those 12 years. While pursuing her doctoral degree, she became interested in understanding how universities, alumni associations, and foundations work together. She had developed great connections and relationships with the Alumni Association, and so her job with the Alumni Association became a perfect fit for her passion.
Jessica says that her experience working with the Alumni Association was a wonderful and foundational experience. By working with the Alumni Association, she learned about the advancement industry. She understood the intricacies of building relationships and creating meaningful programming for diverse communities that would allow individuals to make an impact. She gives credit to the Alumni Association for helping her become the professional she is today.
Jessica also mentioned that advising SAB was a unique experience. She received the opportunity to guide students from various backgrounds, which made her experience a great one. She continues to stay in touch with the SAB students social media and enjoys seeing how their life is unfolding, all the great things that they do and how their love for K-State remains strong.
One of her favorite memories with the Alumni Association is her trip to the Philippines. Jessica had a great time interacting with K-Staters in the Philippines. During this trip, she met with some prospective students who were considering attending K-State. After a few months, she met those same students at the International Student Block Party at K-State. For her, it was a joyous and exciting moment to see the two students she met halfway across the world come to K-State. She mentions that interacting with people from all across the world, making connections with them, and building relationships are one of the skills she learned while at K-State.
One of Jessica’s favorite SAB memories is the first night of For Sophomores Only (FSO). We still hold this event each year in conjunction with Open House. She stated the first nights of FSO always feel like a summer camp experience. It is a moment when current and soon-to-be graduating SAB students produce energy that creates and strengthens human connections.
Dr. Jessica Elmore now works for the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the professional association for higher education and alumni associations. She serves as the Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Training globally. Currently, she is working on building training programs, curricula, and talking with universities, colleges, schools, and organizations worldwide; helping them find DEIB solutions for their advancement organization.
Dr. Elmore states that the legacy of K-State is a physical manifestation of purple being more than a color. According to Dr. Elmore, K-State is a place that paves the way for everyone and helps create solutions that people benefit from globally.
