Emporia State University had a lot to celebrate this Founders Day.
In addition to commemorating 162 years of history at the university, faculty, students, local leadership and community members also celebrated 100 years of the Emporia State Memorial Union as part of Founders Day activities on the ESU campus Friday. Activities began with the annual luncheon in the Memorial Union Ballroom where in addition to recognizing various alumni, donors and supporters, the university also acknowledged the winners of the 1863 essay contest. This year’s first-place finisher was Maggie Givens with her essay titled “How ESU Changed My Life.” The essay detailed how Givens learned of Emporia State, the experiences that led to her enrolling and the various opportunities she has received as a member of the ESU family.
Givens says if anything, she hopes those who hear her story realize how important it is to seize any and every opportunity presented to them.
In second was Kesiena Lesso and her essay titled “Shoot For The Stars” which, in addition to detailing her journey to Emporia State, also discussed the importance of pushing through adversity and personal loss to achieve success and personal greatness.
Lesso says she hopes her words will resonate with and inspire others to follow their dreams and find success in any path they choose in life.
For coming in first, Givens received a $1,000 scholarship. In second place with her essay titled “Shoot for the Stars” was Kesiena Lesso who received a scholarship of $863.
Activities to commemorate the Memorial Union’s 100th anniversary included remarks from former Union Director Charlie Francis. Francis led the union from 1991 to 2001 and spoke with KVOE News during Friday’s activities.
He says during his tenure there was a great deal of growth and expansion within the union which has continued to this day. More than just being a space of comfort and congregation for students, Francis says the union has served as a transformative space for all who have passed through it over the last century.
Activities celebrating the Memorial Union included tours of the facility, a time capsule ceremony and more. After celebrating the legacy of the oldest Memorial Union west of the Mississippi, attention shifted to a ribbon cutting for ESU’s newest facility the Donald Reichardt Center for Publishing and Literary Arts.
Located in Plumb Hall Suite 407, the center is a fully functional podcasting and cinematography studio for artists, influencers, podcasters, filmmakers and creators. Before Friday’s ceremony, Reichardt Center Director and former Kansas Poet Laurette Kevin Rabas joined KVOE’s ESU Buzz where he discussed the impact and implications of the new facility for the entire campus.
Rabas says Friday’s ribbon cutting was roughly 11 years in the making adding the center has already seen success for a handful of students.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News and Jordan Storrer/Emporia State University
