With a B.G.S. in both Political Science and History, Seth Sanchez has become something of a local celebrity, along with Drone Lawrence co-owner and KU alum Nathan Mize, as their unique photos of Lawrence and the University have gained popularity nation-wide.
Hawks to Watch: Madeline Dickerson Gonser, protection order project coordinator
Sex, gender, race, and identity-based discrimination is uncomfortably prevalent in American culture — more so than many of us want to admit — but only…
Hawks to Watch: Chloe Burns, filmmaker
Lights, camera, action. This may seem like a cliché beginning to an interview with a film major, but it is an apropos description of…
Hawks to Watch: Tracey Lien, author
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…
Sydney Pursel, curator for public practice
Read about Sydney’s path from her master’s degree at the College to her current role at the Spencer, all while developing her skills and abilities as a professional artist. See why Sydney is a Hawk to Watch.
Emily Lew Fry, director of interpretation
Why Emily’s a Hawk to Watch: If a picture is worth a thousand words, the person shaping the stories they tell must be worth…
Hawks to Watch: Rabin Valluri, sustainability consultant
Why Rabin’s a Hawk to Watch: As the consequences of climate change are felt throughout the United States along with the rest of the…
Hawks to Watch: Brent Lind, web developer
Why Brent’s a Hawk to Watch: You’ve heard of Childish Gambino, My Morning Jacket, and Foster the People — now meet the Jayhawk who’s…
Hawks to Watch: Kris Kennedy, associate creative director
Why Kris is a Hawk to Watch: Kris Kennedy has made a name for himself within creative circles with big ideas, ambitious media stunts…
Hawks to Watch: Vanessa Delnavaz, collection manager
Why Vanessa’s a Hawk to Watch: Behind every life, there’s a story. The same could also be said of every species — and indeed,…
Hawks to Watch: Aric Toler, digital investigator
Why Aric’s a Hawk to Watch: Russian spies. Chemical weapons attacks. Drug lords, drones, conspiracy and war crimes. A day at ‘the office’ is…
Hawks to Watch: Richard W. James, ceramicist + sculptor
Why Richard’s a Hawk to Watch: Some professionals prefer not to mix their work and personal lives. For Richard W. James, the two are…
Hawks to Watch: Jomana Qaddour, foreign policy professional
Why Jomana’s a Hawk to Watch: Questions about America’s role on the global stage are deeply complex and often controversial: When is intervention appropriate?…
Hawks to Watch: Don Davis, senior director of player affairs for the NFLPA
Why Don’s a Hawk to Watch: Don Davis’s love for the game of football runs deep. With two Super Bowl rings to his name…
Hawks to Watch: Tony G. Reames, energy justice scholar
Why Tony’s a Hawk to Watch: The most urgent issues our communities face — such as equitable access to clean energy — don’t exist…
Hawks to Watch: Heba Mostafa, molecular virologist
Why Heba’s a Hawk to Watch: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, KU community members across the globe joined forces to curb…
Hawks to Watch: Rhianna Jordan, professional dancer
For KU alumna Rhianna Jordan, a dance studio is much more than a practice space.
Hawks to Watch: Kelly Houghteling, Deputy Town Administrator
Why Kelly’s a Hawk to Watch: Kelly Houghteling is always up for an adventure. When she’s off the clock, you can expect to find…
Hawks to Watch: Alex Nichols, content producer & writer
Why Alex is a Hawk to Watch: Comedy, arts, and entertainment can help us get through life’s rough patches and reflect on what truly…
Kylie Hewitt uncovers stories from the past in the National WWII Museum’s collections
Objects from the past can speak volumes about the world we live in today. From love letters sent across continents and long-forgotten diary entries…
Hawks to Watch: Kiel Johnson, Artist
Why Kiel’s a Hawk to Watch: To say that Kiel Johnson enjoys the creative process is something of an understatement. He’s positively enamored with…
Hawks to Watch: Mugabi Byenkya, writer, poet and rapper
Why Mugabi’s a Hawk to Watch: Life has a way of writing in unexpected plot twists. For KU grad Mugabi Byenkya, his journey to…
Hawks to Watch: Estelle Johnson, professional athlete
Why Estelle’s a Hawk to Watch: What does it take to become a pro athlete? Agility, strength, high levels of grit, and a growth…
Hawks to Watch: Brett Striker, Entrepreneur
Why Brett’s a Hawk to Watch: Fair warning: You might want to grab a snack before reading about our November Hawk to Watch, Brett…
Jayhawk entrepreneur Paige Albert makes a splash with KC bridal boutique
Have you ever dreamed of being your own boss? For KU alumna Paige Albert, the idea of running a business had long been an…
Hawks to Watch, Julie Mulvihill, Nonprofit director and humanities advocate
Why Julie’s a Hawk to Watch: Every great movement begins with an idea. And when Kansans from diverse backgrounds come together to share their…
Hawks to Watch: Carlos Centeno, Economic development innovator
Why Carlos is a Hawk to Watch: When disaster strikes, we count on rapid responses, and carefully reasoned plans, from those with the experience,…
Monica Martinez: Leaving a Jayhawk legacy to be proud of
For Monica Martinez, a Kansas native raised in Topeka and born on Kansas Day, the decision to carve out a unique path in her…
Hawks to Watch: Elizabeth Keever, Nonprofit director
Why Elizabeth’s a Hawk to Watch: Despite being readily available for some, access to healthy food remains out of reach for many families across…
Hawks to Watch: Carl Grauer, Contemporary Artist
Why Carl’s a Hawk to Watch: Wisdom and The Wizard of Oz, LGBTQ+ rights and the legacy of Stonewall, family and the uneasy tension…
D.C. Internship Program celebrates 35 years
The University of Kansas hosted a reception in Washington, D.C., this April to celebrate 35 years of the Washington, D.C., Internship Program. Since its…
Phillip McGruder: ‘Believe Autism Matters’
For nearly all his life, KU College alumnus Phillip McGruder has felt a duty to make an impact on the world. Inspired by his…
Hawks to Watch: Amanda Shriwise, Postdoctoral Researcher
Why Amanda’s a Hawk to Watch: If you were able to look into the future 10 years ago and see yourself today, what would…
Hawks Who Brew: KU Alumni in the Beer Industry
Something special is brewing. Spring is in the air, downtown streets are bustling with business, and wherever you look people are flocking to fill…
Hawks to Watch: Marlon Marshall, Grassroots Campaign Organizer
Why Marlon’s a Hawk to Watch: It’s no secret that politics, campaigns, and social movements can be contentious subjects, to say the least. So…
Rebekah Taussig: Rewriting disability
Disability is often viewed through a distorted lens, with stories of disability perpetuating oversimplified images of either tragedy or inspiration. This treatment is easy…
Hawks to Watch: David Toland, Kansas Secretary of Commerce
Why David’s a Hawk to Watch: Serious issues call for serious action. And David Toland has long been guided by the philosophy that real-world…
Hawks to Watch: Abbie Hodgson, Officer with the State Strategy Group at the Pew Charitable Trusts
Why Abbie’s a Hawk to Watch: Abbie Hodgson is a problem solver. It’s fitting then that she’s built a career taking on some of…
Hawks to Watch: Crystle Lampitt, TV Host and Producer
Why Crystle’s a Hawk to Watch: Crystle Lampitt’s road to hosting and producing for television was not without a few twists and turns. After…
Hawks to Watch: Patrick Woods, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Strategy
Why Patrick’s a Hawk to Watch: Patrick Woods knows a thing or two about energy. A thoughtful strategist through and through, he brings a…
Hawks at the Watkins: Celebrating Lawrence’s communities at the Watkins Museum of History
The Watkins Museum of History, located on Massachusetts Street in Downtown Lawrence, Kansas, has captured and portrayed Douglas County stories, with an emphasis on…
Hawks to Watch: Jenny Peck and Geoff Knight, non-profit directors
Why Jenny and Geoff are Hawks to Watch: When Jenny Peck was placed in rural Tanzania as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 2006, the…
In the field: Geologist and photographer Aaron Goldstein explores layers of Earth and humanity
Major: B.S. in Geology (2018) Where are you from? And why did you decide to come to KU? I am originally from Anderson, MO…
Distinguished Alumni: Rob Riggle, Marine Vet and Comedian
Rob Riggle, one of the most recognizable Jayhawk alumni, will be honored this year with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Liberal…
Hawks to Watch: Victoria Gunderson, brewer
Why Victoria’s a Hawk to Watch When combined correctly, grain, hops, yeast and water make a huge variety of delicious beers. But what four…
Hawks to Watch: Danny Caine, poet and bookstore owner
Danny’s journey to own a bookstore took a few turns. As a poet, he’s always loved books. After college he started teaching high school. But a few years in he began to fall out of love with teaching and decided to do an MFA in Creative Writing. In 2014, he arrived at the University of Kansas, found a home in Lawrence and graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) in 2017.
Hawks to Watch: Amy Anders Corcoran, theatre director
Why Amy’s a Hawk to Watch Imagine criss-crossing the Atlantic throughout the year to work on hit musicals and cutting-edge creative works gracing some…
Meet the CLAS of 2018
As the graduates of the College took to the Hill to celebrate their accomplishments, we asked some to look back at their time at…
Hawk to Watch: Shannon Portillo, professor and campus leader
Why Shannon’s a Hawk to Watch: How to describe the stellar career trajectory of professor Shannon Portillo? Reading back through articles about Shannon on…
Mikki Brock, Historian of Religion, Demonology and Witchcraft
Why Mikki’s a Hawk to Watch: Witches and demons are everywhere. They make themselves known in TV shows, movies and video games, appearing as…
Hawks to Watch: Caleb Chin, social media strategist
3 reasons why Buzzfeed social media strategist Caleb Chin is a Hawk to Watch: 1. Caleb creates innovative ways to tell stories on social…
Hawks to Watch: Spencer Lott, Puppeteer
Why Spencer’s a Hawk to Watch: Who hasn’t dreamed of taking a trip to Sesame Street? The air is sweet, the neighbors are friendly,…
Hawks to Watch: Becky Mandelbaum, Writer
Why Becky’s a Hawk to Watch: Aspiring writers everywhere should take a page out of award-winning Becky Mandelbaum‘s book. Writing, for Becky, is about…
Winter grad profiles 2017
Learning from the experiences of other Jayhawks is the best way to make the most of your time on the Hill. So, we asked…
Hawks to Watch: Eric Beightel, Environmental Policy Associate Director
Why Eric’s a Hawk to Watch: Environmental sustainability underpins Eric’s varied and impactful career supporting telecommunications, the Kansas Army National Guard, the Obama…
Hawks to Watch: Sarah Stern, Public Relations Manager
Why Sarah’s a Hawk to Watch: Sarah Stern could have been considered a Hawks to Watch even while still an undergraduate at KU such…
Hawks to Watch: Stephanie Stillo, Curator
Why Stephanie’s a Hawk to Watch: Imagine a job that transports you to a distant, sometimes magical world every single day. You’ll discover fantastic…
Hawks to Watch: Stephanie Downes, Digital Media Manager
Why Stephanie’s a Hawk to Watch: When you think biology degree, you may picture someone sitting in a lab or collecting specimens outside. For…
Distinguished Alumni: Ambassador and CEO top extensive list of titles for Delano Lewis
The list of careers Delano Lewis has held is lengthy and diverse. After graduating from KU in 1960 with majors in political science and…
Hawks to Watch: Caitlin Hotzel, Pastry Chef
Why Caitlin’s a Hawk to Watch: Caitlin has never been afraid to take a risk to pursue passions and achieve her dreams. The books…