Why Tracey is a Hawk to Watch:

Oftentimes schoolwork is enough for a passing grade, and usually it's good enough for a degree. On rare occasions though, it's good enough to be published — which is where this Hawk to Watch comes into play. 

Famed writer and one-time Lawrence resident Langston Hughes, born in Joplin, Mo., is celebrated throughout the University of Kansas and the city. To help us celebrate his birthday and kick off Black History Month, we spoke to professors across campus to tell us what we should know about Hughes’ significant and broad career and the lasting impact his work had on American culture … in a nutshell.

He grew up in Lawrence, Kansas

Our humanities graduates push boundaries, driven by the conviction that anything is possible. They look to the past to understand different ways of living, and to make sense of how change happens and why the world developed the way it did. They interrogate the present, analyzing real problems that affect lives and they propose solutions that benefit the people that need them most. They travel near and far, exploring the rich diversity of cultures spread across the planet driven by curiosity and the belief that with open minds we can all learn from one another. And they leave KU armed with the knowledge and skills to make the world a better, fairer place for everyone.

Kierstin McMichael is the definition of busy. Between leadership positions and jobs on campus, reading and studying hundreds of pages a week for her English major, working  with not just one but two distinguished professors, and advising fellow students, she finds little time for sleep, let alone downtime. But being tired is worth it to do what she loves, which put simply, is seizing every opportunity to grow as a leader and a scholar and helping others do the same. “On days where I’m tired, I just think about how much I’ve had to do to even get to this point and it would really be a shame if I gave up now. When you have passion driving you forward, it makes it a little bit worth it, to do what you have to do to make things happen,” she said.

Evan Traylor is the kind of person who goes after what he wants and doesn’t look back. From his first campus tour, Evan knew KU was the right fit – so it was the only college he applied to. He decided on his double major in political science and Jewish studies and minor in leadership studies even before his freshman year. Growing up, Evan was always connected to the Jewish community and now he has accepted a role as the first Presidential Fellow for Millennial Engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism, an organization he’s worked with since high school. Before he walks down the Hill and sets off for New York City, we had the chance to ask Evan about his new job and days of high school show choir. 

Wanderlust is real. Travel-related personal goals or “bucket list” items are common; some people want to visit all the U.S. states, or all the continents or all the oceans. Libby Friesen wants to do it all. On her bucket list is the desire to visit every continent, country, state, ocean, sea and bay in the world. “I calculated it and if I visit four to five new places every year I will accomplish this... it's within grasp, I just know it!” Friesen said. Friesen, a senior majoring in global & international studies and minoring in Chinese language, was previously a flight attendant. She remembers frustrating times when no one on board was able to communicate with travelers. “I just want to be a well-informed world citizen so I can bridge gaps and continue to appreciate other cultures throughout the world,” she said.

If you’ve struggled with deciding on a major, you’re not alone – you’re actually in the majority. About 80 percent of college-bound students don’t settle on a major before coming to campus according to MyMajors.com. With so many options, many of which cover subjects that aren’t taught in high schools, it’s no surprise that most students take some time before committing to a major. “It was easy to choose my French minor because I’d been studying French since I was a freshman in high school, but choosing my major was difficult,” said Justin Evans, junior majoring in anthropology and minoring in French. During his first few semesters at KU, Evans said, he enrolled in a number of courses that deal with the study of humans, such as sociology and linguistics. These courses prompted his passion for exploring questions about the “why” behind human history.

What started as a high school project turned into five years of work and a self-published novel that’s already in its second printing. Crystal Bradshaw, sophomore majoring in creative writing, discovered through research for an assignment on family history that her great-great-great-great grandmother was part of the exoduster movement that brought former slaves to the Midwest. The book, “Eliza: A Generational Journey,” begins with Eliza’s life as a slave in Kentucky and continues through her journey of emancipation and her life in Jetmore, Kansas, where the Bradshaw family has now lived for 134 years.

Garrett Farlow spent his summer halfway around the world in Kazakhstan working to help journalists break away from government censorship and playing sports with the National Special Olympics team. Casual. We asked Garrett to tell us all about this incredible experience and how he overcame the intimidation factor of interning overseas. 

Hometown: Tecumseh, KS 

Majors: Journalism, Slavic Language & Literature and Political Science 

As a first-generation college student and a single parent earning minimum wage, Alyssa Cole was stressed and frustrated. At the end of her rope, she decided to write a letter to the one person she thought could help, President Barack Obama. “Writing to him was basically a last resort,” Cole, a Garden City senior, said. “If anyone could help me it would be him. … At least I can make him aware of the issues single parents are facing when they are trying to get their education and take care of their families as well.” A few years later, Cole received a phone call from the White House.