DAY IN

THE LIFE
Spring 2015 | VOL. 2

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN

FROM THE
EDITORS DESK

PG. 4-5

PG. 12

TIM HOSSLER

ALEX KONG

Design professor Tim Hossler is a Kansas

native who has had a successful design
career in New York

Alex Kong has found ways to bring his

extracurricular passions to the forefront of
his time at the University
PG. 13

BAKARY SUSO
Architecture graduate student Bakary
Suso works to bring health care and
playgrounds to his home country in Africa

AMIE JUST | @Amie_Just

magine walking down Jayhawk

Boulevard. Look to your left. Look
to your right. What do you see?
Within seconds, hundreds of
faces whiz by.
Imagine sitting in the Underground,
eating your lunch, reading the
newspaper. You can hear chatter
in a few different languages, from
Chinese to Portuguese, from Arabic
to English.
All of those people, regardless of
gender identity, race, age, sexual
orientation, religion, nationality and
any other demographic, are the
people who make up the University
of Kansas. No other place in the
world can elicit the experience that
the University has to offer, and its
because of the people who are here.
Everyone who attends, works at or
visits the University has a story to
share. This section showcases just
a tiny slice of those stories. From a
Rock Chalk Dancer who wakes up at
5:15 a.m. to prepare for her day, to
a rabbi who has seven children and
gives back to the Jewish community
at KU, every person has a different
perspective based on his or her
life experiences. Keon Stowers,
for example, plays football and will
celebrate his sons first birthday in
May, while Bakary Suso helps build
health centers in Africa.
Tomorrow when youre sitting on
the bus with your headphones on,
take them off and talk to the people
next to you. They have stories to tell.

PG. 7-9

ZALMAN TIECHTEL
Rabbi Tiechtels work at the campus
Jewish Center focuses on making a home
away from home for Jewish students
PG. 14-15

BRADLEY VONADA
Bradley Vonada, the vice president of the
club Quidditch team, is competing at the
top of his game during the season
PG. 16-17

KEON STOWERS
PG. 10-11

KILEY DOMBROSKI

The possibility of going pro is important to

former defensive lineman Keon Stowers,
but not as important as his family

Kiley Dombroski lives for the moments

when she leads the crowd in the Rock
Chalk chant at basketball games

PG. 18

SOPHIA TEMPLIN
Managing time is crucial for Sophia
Templin, who is a softball player, sorority
member and student senator

YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Account Manager, Molly
Edwards (bottom left), is
responsible for account
There are several apartments receivables and payables. She
in the Lawrence market, but
plays a vital role in the
there is one that stands out
collection of rent. Molly also
from the rest. The Hawks
strives to work with the
Pointe Management team is
residents to ensure a dialogue
unlike any other property
is present in the rent collection
management team in
process as she works to support
Lawrence, KS. They have
them through challenges that
taken significant steps to
may arise in life.
make Hawks Pointe more
Elodia Terrazas (bottom
resident focused while
right), a Senior Leasing
improving facilities. There is
Specialist, supports the office
an understanding that the
from a leasing and marketing
place where you live needs to role. Her leasing experience
be more than just a place
and connection with the
where you eat and sleep, it
residents plays an energetic
needs to be about your
role into making the office a
education experience; hence, fun place.
your reasons for being
Hannah Sybert (top right), a
at KU.
Senior Leasing Specialist,
Lead by their General
supports the office from an
Manager, Tadros Teddy
operations role ensuring that
Abdelmalek (top left), he
your preferences and your
strives to use his student
needs are met when you lease
affairs experience toward
with Hawks Pointe.
supporting and understanding Devan Schaly (middle right),
what his residents need. He
the newest member of the
works daily to support his
Leasing Specialist team, brings
staff and his residents through her experience with organizaany obstacles that the day
tions and programming of KU
may bring.
to the Hawks Pointe team. Her
HAWKS POINTE

April 1, 2015 (3:30 4:30pm)

Spooner Hall, The Commons

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Reception to Follow
An enrolled member of the Osage Nation, Warrior is the author of The
People and the Word: Reading Native Nonfiction, American Indian
Literary Nationalism (with Craig Womack and Jace Weaver), Like a
Hurricane: The Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee (with
Paul Chaat Smith) and Tribal Secrets: Recovering American Indian
Intellectual Traditions. He is also a member of the Native Critics
Collective, which published Reasoning Together, a collection of essay
focused on Native literary criticism.

TWITTER: @HAWKSPOINTEAPTS

outgoing personality allows

for successful outreach
marketing.
Two other important people
that are not pictured are Brent
Cobb and Greg Hamill. Brent
is Hawks Pointes Facilities
Manager bringing 27+ years of
maintenance experience to the
table and ensures that
everyones apartment is in
good working order. His right
hand man, Greg Hamill,
supports the team by
certifying that concerns are
dealt with proactively and that
quarterly inspections are
handled for the property.
This team showcases a
diverse group of employees
that bring out the best
qualities that can be
established in a management
team. For more information
about how you can be a part of
this community, feel free to
reach out to them via their
office located at 1421 West 7th
Street or by emailing/calling
them directly at
hawkspointe.info@campusapts.com or at 785.841.5255.
More info available online at:
www.hawkspointeapts.com

BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN

DESIGN AND H
CONQUER

Ben Lipowitz
@BenLipowitz

OW DID YOU GET STARTED

IN DESIGN?

Design professor and Kansas native Tim

Hossler uses what he learned under the
guidance of Rolling Stone photographer
Annie Leibovitz as inspiration in and out
of the classroom
4B | DITL

Well, I grew up in Dodge

City, Kan. From really early
on, like age 11 or 12, I really
wanted to be an architect.
Because Im an only child
I guess, all of our family,
vacations were based on
Frank Lloyd Wright houses
because that was the only
architect that they knew of.
It became this really great
experience of traveling and
visiting real architecture. So
I went to Kansas State to
study architecture. Kind of
in the middle of architecture
school, I realized that I loved
everything about school,
but it wasnt what I really

wanted to do. I loved all the

other parts like doing posters and books and doing all
the other models. Then I realized that graphic design and
art directing was what I was
really interested in. So after
K-State, I moved to New York
City. After several years of
working for various design
firms, I made contact with
the Annie Leibovitz Studio.

HAT WAS YOUR ROLE

WORKING
WITH
LEIBOVITZ?

I always described it as: I

did everything after the photographs were taken. We did
a lot of photo editing with
her or piecing stuff together with her. We did a lot of
compositing of images. And
then I would do the layouts
for the magazines and for

the books. I would go with

her to Vogue and Vanity Fair
and meet with the editors
and art directors, and basically we would just tell them
what she wanted.

HAT WAS WORKING

WITH HER LIKE?

Well I mean it was amazing.

It was kind of like the best
graduate school I could have
ever had because youre
standing next to one of
the most famous photographers in the entire world,
just hearing her comments
about stuff or hearing the
stories about the shoots.
Sometimes I would actually
travel with her and be on
set and just see how the
photographs were made.
Shes just like a genius, and

not only is she a genius

with photography, but she
is very interested in the
history of photography and
other forms of art such as
architecture, which is really
why I got the job in the first
place. She was such a big
fan of architecture, so we
had that immediate connection.

HAT
DO
YOU
TAKE FROM THAT
EXPERIENCE WITH
LEIBOVITZ THAT YOU GIVE TO
YOUR STUDENTS?
One thing is, hopefully,
teaching by example. Like
follow your dreams and
push yourself to do the
best thing you can do, even
if that thing might seem
super crazy. Find the people you want to work with.
Find the cities you want
to live in. But then also be
flexible enough. Theres going to be your dreams, but
then theres also going to
be those paths that come
along and be willing to
take them and be willing to
change your goals.

HAT
IS
YOUR
FAVORITE THING TO
DESIGN?

Well, I love doing books. I

love working with museums, artists and photographers. Last spring, I did a

book for the Nelson-Atkins

Museum that was about
their anniversary of their
sculpture garden, and it was
about the new Robert Morris glass labyrinth. The book
is made out of the glass
panels, and then it has this
bronze cap on the top of it.
Its really exciting and really
neat. The projects that have
been the best are the ones
when you are working with
a group of people that are
very confident and who are
excited about what they are
doing. Also the time schedule was super fast, and I
like working on those faster
quicker projects because
I feel like [with] the longer
ones, you are just kind of
spinning your wheels for
too long.

HAT IS A DAY IN YOUR

LIFE LIKE?

I have two daughters, so in

the morning were always
rushing around to get breakfast and get them ready for
school. My wife also teaches
here at KU. So some mornings I am teaching, so she
is getting the kids ready for
school, and sometimes she
is teaching, so I am the one
to do it. And then theres
teaching. The design classes are studio classes, and
they are three-hour blocks.
I love teaching that way be-

CONTRIBUTED/TIM HOSSLER
Assistant design professor Tim Hossler created this book for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Arts anniversary of its sculpture garden.

cause I love getting to know

my students and having
one-on-one communication
with them. When I am not
teaching, I am working on
other projects. Right now I
am working on a guidebook
for Havana, Cuba. So it feels
like all my time outside of
class right now is trying to
figure out what that is going to be and doing research
and reading and looking.
Feels like most of my day

READ MORE ABOUT HOSSLER

ONLINE AT KUDAYINTHELIFE.COM
and then I get home and
have dinner and prepare for
my next day.

HAT IS THE MAIN

THING YOU WANT
YOUR
STUDENTS
TO TAKE AWAY FROM
ALL OF YOUR CLASSES?

I just hope that I teach to

look and look and look as
a designer and photographer because youre making stuff. Youre creating
and developing things so
you need to look and be
inspired by things maybe
youre not even studying.

Like if youre a photographer, look at other photographers and know the

history of photography,
but also look at art, look at
culture, look at films. Even
everyday kind of stuff that
normal people wouldnt be
looking at. What that will
do is enrich your ideas, and
that will give you a different point of view that anyone else has.

WHO IS ANNIE LEIBOVITZ?

Leibovitz is considered on of the worlds best portrait photographers, who developed her signature
use of colors and striking poses while chief photographer at Rolling Stone. One of her most notable
photographs is of nude John Lennon curled alongside his clothed wife, Yoko Ono, on Dec. 8, 1980.
That photo of the former Beatles member was captured just hours before his death later that day.
La Vida, Rolling Stone

DITL | 5B

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FAITH AND FATE

To Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel,
all Jews are family
Mackenzie Clark
@mclark59

hen a student mentioned his plans

to spend Passover in Oklahoma
with a friends grandparents, Rabbi
Zalman Tiechtel wouldnt let him
leave the Chabad Center emp-

ty-handed.
Instead, Tiechtel used tissue paper to wrap some
delicate handmade matzos, or unleavened bread
eaten during Passover. He placed them in a cardboard box with a note wishing the family a happy
holiday and sent the student on his way.
To those who dont know him, this may appear
to be an act of kindness toward strangers. For
Tiechtel, its simply a message of love to his extended Jewish family.
Along with his wife, Nechama Tiechtel, the rabbi directs the Rohr Chabad Center for
DITL | 7B

Jewish Life. The center

serves as a home away
from home for Jewish
students at the University and is open to all who
want to learn more about
the faith and culture.
The centers motto is
labels are for shirts, not
for people, and its services are not limited to
members of a particular
denomination of Judaism.
What defines your
Jewishness has nothing
to do with your level of
practice, your affiliation,
how you label yourself
it is simply the fact that
you are part of the Jewish family, Tiechtel said.
Born and raised alongside 12 siblings in
Brooklyn, N.Y., Tiechtel
experienced major culture shock when he, his
wife and his firstborn
daughter, Mina, moved
to Lawrence 9 years ago.
I remember the first
time I saw what happens
at a four-way stop sign in
Kansas, he said. In New
York, it doesnt work, because everyone would
try to go first; in Kansas,
everybodys waiting for
you to go first. That is
something [that] I really
appreciate.
Although it was difficult to leave behind his
neighborhood abundant in kosher delis, kosher bakeries and synagogues Tiechtel said
he believes his life in

LISTEN TO
TIECHTEL
SHARE THE
STORY OF
HOW HE
CAME TO LAWRENCE IN
THE ONLINE VERSION OF
THIS ARTICLE.
8B | DITL

BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel runs the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Life with his wife, Nechama Tiechtel. The center is a few blocks
south of campus at 1201 W. 19th St. The couple leased both sides of the duplex before they purchased the property in 2008.

Lawrence is his destiny,

and he was brought here
by faith and fate.
Everybody has a calling, and if were willing
to listen and hear it,
then we will be able to
achieve our lifes purpose, Tiechtel said. I
believe that me being in

Lawrence, Kan., is not by

default. This is the purpose of my souls journey
into this world.
Tiechtel said he learned
of the Universitys need
when he met a rabbi
from Kansas City by
divine providence. Listen to Tiechtel share the

story of how he came to

Lawrence in the online
version of this article.
I had this dream of
moving anywhere it
made no difference to
me where where there
was potential to contribute to the community,
he said.

Tiechtel and his family fell in love with

Lawrence and signed a
lease on the spot when
they stumbled upon a
duplex near campus. He
said at that point they
didnt even realize it
was a prime location for
students.

Two months later, the

students who lived on
the other side of the
duplex moved out and
the Tiechtels leased the
other side. The Chabad
Centers popularity grew,
and in 2008 the family
purchased the property.
The only mistake we
made is that we underestimated the potential for
success, he said.
The Chabad Center,
1201 W. 19th St., offers
Jewish students Shabbat
dinner every week. At
the first dinner in March
2006, the Tiechtels welcomed just a handful;
now, an average of 50 to
80 students attend each
week.
His family has grown as
well; he is a proud father
of four daughters and
three sons, ranging in
age from 4 months to 9
years. He also calls himself a proud Jewhawk.
Tiechtel said his daily
schedule varies, which
he likes. Some days he
visits hospitals and prisons, and he is in charge
of fundraising for the
Chabad Center. He often
talks to concerned parents of students at the
University. He frequently meets with students
for personal talks or to
plan events, which is a
major part of the Chabad
Centers purpose.
The biggest obstacle
for growth for college
students today is stig-

+WHATS IN
A NAME?

BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Rabbi Zalman Tiechtels family consists of his wife, Nechama, and his seven children. He has
four daughters and three sons, who range in age from 4 months old to 9 years old.

ma, and we are here to

rewrite the experience,
he said.
Tiechtel said no matter
what his schedule holds,
he aims to do three
things each day: make
time to pray three times,
have a personal interaction with a student and
do something outside his
comfort zone.
Despite his honest
smile, life is not always
easy for Tiechtel and his

extended family. In 2008,

he lost a fellow rabbi
and childhood friend
from his neighborhood
in Brooklyn. The friend
and his wife were killed
in a terrorist attack at
their Chabad house in
Mumbai, India.
Last April, a shooting
at the Jewish Community Center in Overland
Park shook the Jewish
community. The J, as
its attendees call it, is

where three of Tiechtels

children attend school.
Tiechtel said in times
of challenge, what drives
you will determine how
you move forward.
The only way we were
able to overcome that
hardship in 2008 was by
remembering why were
here, Tiechtel said. If
you focus on the purpose and the mission,
you win. You keep on
going.

Jewish names have historically

varied over the centuries and
encompass many different
traditions. In ancient societies,
these names often held
spiritual significance. It is
estimated that a majority of
2,800 names found in the Torah
convey a particular meaning.

MEANINGS OF RABBI
TIECHTELS KIDS NAMES:
Mina Bracha:
Blessing from God
Mendel: Humble
Man
Yosef Meir: An
Increasing Shining
Light

Levi: Attachment
Yisroel: Israel
Sima: Treasure
Esther: Hidden
Inner Beauty

In 2011, Tiechtel worked to establish

Kosher Korner at Allen Fieldhouse,
which he said is the first kosher deli in
a college athletic facility in the country.
DITL | 9B

Kiley
Dombroski
Its 5:15 a.m. and
her alarm is going
off. But she has
already been up
for hours. For Kiley
Dombroski, this is
a normal weekday
morning.

BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN

Ben Felderstein
@Ben_Felderstein
For Dombroski, the inability to sleep in
the mornings before dance workouts is
typical.
Dombroski is a junior from Lakewood,
Colo., and a member of the Rock Chalk
Dancers.
On the days that I have workouts, Im
usually waking up anxious every hour, she
said.
Dombroski is a journalism major studying
strategic communications and is minoring
in creative writing. She has spent the past
three years on the Universitys dance team.
Dombroski juggles dance, school work
and classes, and is a member of the Kappa
Kappa Gamma sorority.
I make it work, Dombroski said. You
have to sacrifice sleep sometimes, but Im
the type of person that needs to be staying
busy.
Growing up in Colorado, most of
Dombroskis high school friends attended
local schools like the University of Colorado.
She wanted to get away from home and start
a new chapter.
Dombroski came to visit Kansas during
the final Kansas-Missouri basketball game
in 2012. Following the victory, she and her
father rushed to Massachusetts Street to see

students and Kansas fans celebrating.

My dad looked at me and said, This is
where youre going, Dombroski said. I
fell in love with the campus, the tradition,
everything.
The dance team plays a large role in the
Universitys tradition, and it has a big
presence at sports events throughout the
year.
Dancing at basketball games will always be
some of Kileys most cherished memories,
from building relationships with the other
dancers to getting to lead fans in the Rock
Chalk chant on one of the most famous
basketball courts in America.
Its the best, most unreal feeling, standing
out on the court doing the Rock Chalk
chant, Dombroski said. It gives me
goosebumps every time. Its something only
a few people will experience in their lives.
The Rock Chalk Dancers serve as
University ambassadors and have a lot of
responsibility to keep up a public image.
Dombroski and her team run camps for
children and make public appearances.
With the hectic schedule of a dancer,
things are often subject to change.
We have a motto on the team,
Dombroski said. Its cope and adjust. We

say OK, reset and go on with whatever you

have to do.
Dombroski and the rest of the Rock Chalk
Dancers have developed bonds that are as
strong as familial ties. Dombroski attended
a former dancers wedding this past summer
with close to 30 other dancers.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE

CAMPUS, THE TRADITION,
EVERYTHING.

KILEY DOMBROSKI

Seeing seniors at the center of the court

on their senior night is always an emotional
experience, Dombroski said. For her, this
years senior night meant she is one year
closer to her last game dancing at the
Fieldhouse.
Theyre going to have to drag me off the
court crying, Dombroski said. Itll be hard
to get me out of Allen [Fieldhouse].
After her senior night next fall,
Dombroski hopes to graduate the following
May and start another chapter in her life in
sports marketing. She said she hopes to stay

around the University and live in Lawrence

for a little while.
Dombroski said she has loved every
moment she has spent dancing for Kansas
but does not see that as a part of her life after
graduation.
A lot of girls try out for the Chiefs or
Broncos, she said. But I dont really think
thats for me.
Next year will be her last year waking up
at 5:15 a.m. for workouts and her last year
making public appearances and posing for
pictures with little kids. It will be her last
year dancing on the sidelines of Memorial
Stadium and her final season leading 16,300
people in the Rock Chalk chant from the
court of Allen Fieldhouse.
But it wont be the last time she practices
the traditions of being a Jayhawk and spends
time with her teammates, and it wont be the
last time she gets goosebumps inside Allen
Fieldhouse.
Ive learned so much about life from
being a Rock Chalk Dancer, Dombroski
said. And to know that the way we do
things is the same as weve always done it
at a school that is so rich in tradition and
basketball history is really special.

DITL | 11B

Alex Kong
Standing in his
apartment kitchen,
4P pharmacy student
Alex Kong adds a splash
of whiskey to his apple
cupcake mix.
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN

Alana Flinn
@alana_flinn

or Kong, baking is a way to turn the

science he studies into something
fun.
I started baking when I was
working on an experiment I couldnt
get down, Kong said. I was frustrated with
it because I couldnt get it to work. During
this time, I gained my appreciation for
[baking] because so much of chemistry and
experiments go into baking.
However, baking is just Kongs hobby to
help him unwind, following a day of working
on a large variety of activities.
Kong conducts pharmaceutical research
in two labs on campus, is the business
director and a member of Genuine Imitation
A Cappella, and the 4P pharmacy class
president.
Beyond that, Kong is the chapter president
of Mortar Board Honor Society, the founder
and president of Society of Scientists, and
a co-founder of ResearchRx. Hes also an
ambassador for the Center for Undergraduate
Research, an ambassador for the Honors
Program and a scholar for the Hall
12B | DITL

Center for the Humanities.

Kong is also working on writing a personal
memoir about his life as a second-generation
Chinese American and on Thursdays, Kong
reads the University Daily Kansan to the
blind.
How does Kong manage to have time for
each of these organizations and activities?
Not well, Kong said jokingly.
However, Kong said he thinks he has done
a pretty good job of making sure everything
goes smooth so far.
For Kong, being involved with so many
organizations on campus is less about
building a rsum and more about pursuing
his passions.
Im involved in a lot of things, but whats
cool about that is Im involved in so much
because I really do care about every activity
Ive committed to, Kong said.
While it may seem like Kong does it all, he
does tend to avoid certain types of activities.
Pretty much anything that requires physical
coordination and gracefulness, Kong said.
Luckily, Kongs passions are less about
physical ability and more about brainpower.
Looking to the future, Kong said he thinks

engulfing himself in activities, events and

organizations will pay off in applications for
scholarships and graduate school, but that is
not his priority. Long term, Kong said he sees
himself as a professor at a university.

ALL OF THESE EXPERIENCES

THAT IVE HAD HAVE BECOME
PART OF WHO I AM.

ALEX KONG

I hope to work at a university where I can

research and teach, Kong said. Its hard to
pinpoint a certain topic, especially since I
know that I have so many more professors to
work with in the future and areas to discover,
but it will be in some way related to drug
development. [Being involved] has helped me
to become a more well-rounded person. For
me, its never really been about boosting my
rsum so much as doing the things that I
legitimately enjoy.
But, for now, Kong is encouraging younger
students to pursue their own passions.
A lot of the time, when I meet with these

prospective students, they talk about how

theyre really passionate about a sport or their
religion or music, but they dont know if they
can manage it on top of their studies, Kong
said. And what I like to tell them is to not
let their passions die, because even though
youre switching to college and have these
preconceived notions about what college will
be like, its really a shame to let these passions
go.
Kong, who said he finds that everything he
has been involved with at the University has
truly shaped him into the person he is now,
really encourages others to do the same.
All of these experiences that Ive had have
become part of who I am, Kong said. All
of these things come together and having
something to be passionate about, whether
it be one thing or several, has been a really
defining moment in my KU experience and I
feel like it should be in others as well.
While Kong spends more time in the lab
than the kitchen, he does have a baking
specialty.
Alcoholic cupcakes, Kong said. I have this
huge alcohol collection, but I dont drink. I
just put it into food.

Bakary Suso
Kate Miller @_Kate_Miller_

Like those of his native

country, the Gambia,
graduate architecture
student Bakary Suso
always has a smile on
his face.

JILL STIVERSON/KANSAN

The Gambia may be the poorest in the world, but one

thing I know about them is their resilience, Suso said.
You can see somebody who doesnt have much, but
theyre always smiling. That makes me really want to do a
lot of things because people smile no matter what [in the
Gambia.] And that lights a fire to keep me going.
Suso, the founder of the nonprofit KINitiative, is
currently working to bring affordable and sustainable
health care centers to the African country of the Gambia.
The nonprofit aims to bring community centers like
health clinics and playgrounds to rural areas of the
country, as well as employment and empowerment for
residents.
Suso, who lived in the Gambia until he was 18, founded
KINitiative as a response to his experiences in the
country. Growing up, Suso lacked a public playground;
he and his friends played in the streets the same streets
through which traffic ran every day.
Growing up, I didnt have that protected space, he
said. Granted, growing up, we were able to be kids and
run wild, and we were given that playtime. But we were
not in a protected area.
Susos main focus in founding KINitiative was to create
those spaces for the people of the Gambia. He wants to
build playgrounds that also double as youth centers.
Last time I was in the Gambia to do my research,
in terms of playgrounds, we only had two public
playgrounds for 1.8 million people, he said. So, I
think this is something that I will pursue eventually, but
through architecture, Im trying to see how I can help not
just Gambia, but Africa as a whole.
Currently, KINitiative is in the process of building and
designing a Reproductive Child Health (RCH) center for
communities in the Gambia. Suso said this project came
out of his recent visit to the Gambia, where he saw the
lack of available health services for people in rural areas.
The healthcare system of Gambia is divided into three
sectors: hospitals, health centers and RCH centers. The
280 RCH centers are located in rural areas of the country
without access to other health care.
Suso said two health care providers visit each RCH
center once a month to cater to women in need of
prenatal care and children under five. The conditions are
far from ideal.
The spaces they go to sometimes are almost
falling apart, he said. Some of them are pretty much
nonexistent. Some of them have a nurse assistant sitting
under a tree, and theres a long line. One of them was so
bad, it had animal feces all over the floor. Some women
actually have their children in these places. As soon as I
saw that, I knew this takes more of my attention.
Suso and KINitiative recently presented their proposals
for a new RCH design to government officials in the
Gambia. At this point, KINitatives design will be the new
standard for RCH centers in the country.
The new design aims to make the centers as sustainable
and affordable as possible. While concrete is the usual
construction material in the Gambia, it is too expensive
to maintain for the poor living in rural areas. Suso said

a bag of cement can cost $10, while the typical monthly

salary for a Gambian in this area is $30.
In addition, the new design will provide a community
space when its not in use as a health center. Because
parts of the Gambia can lack accessible electricity, Suso
wants the centers to have an area for children to work
on homework. A playground will also be built around
the structure.
I talk to [the community] about the ideas and what
these spaces should look like, he said. Its not me
just imposing my ideas but listening to them. We can
design together. Our goal of KINitiative is to involve
communities in this design process. We want to
empower them.

GROWING UP, I DIDNT HAVE THAT

PROTECTED SPACE. GRANTED,
GROWING UP, WE WERE ABLE TO
BE KIDS AND RUN WILD, AND WE
WERE GIVEN THAT PLAYTIME. BUT
WE WERE NOT IN A PROTECTED
AREA.

BAKARY SUSO

KINitiative comprises several University students and

alumni, with several professors acting as advisors. Eddy
Tavio, an architecture student who graduated with his
masters degree in 2012, is Susos co-founder.
Tavio, a native of Venezuela, shares Susos desire to
empower the communities KINitiative serves, not to just
impose their own ideas.
We want to talk about solutions, Tavio said. We want
to be perceived as an organization that provides support.
When Suso graduates in May, he looks forward to
continuing with KINitiative. He will continue to oversee
the design and construction of his first RCH center in the
Gambia this semester he anticipates sending the final
designs at the end of April and receiving the estimated
cost for the building. After that, the fundraising process
begins.
Suso said he is extremely thankful for the opportunity
that the University has provided. Coming to study in the
United States from the Gambia has given him an even
greater appreciation for education than he had in the
Gambia.
Students dont know the power they have, he said. I
wish I thought about this three years ago rather than just
last year because as a student, people are willing to help.
People are really willing to listen to you because they see
themselves in you, or they see themselves and something
they wish they could do. It is good for students to really
take leadership roles and be passionate about something.
Students have more power than they know they have.

CHASING
THE CUP
Brian Hillix @DoubleHillix

Armed with a broom in one

hand and a quaffle in the other,
senior Bradley Vonada steps onto
Robinson field as his team begins
the days practice for the looming
World Cup Championship. Vonada,
a chemical engineering major from
Shawnee, is a chaser and the vice
president for the Kansas Quidditch
club team.
BEN BRODSKY/KANSAN

14B | DITL

GET TO KNOW BRADLEY VONADA

FAVORITE HARRY POTTER MOVIE:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

FAVORITE THING ABOUT HARRY POTTER:

Quidditch
Editors note: Didnt see that one coming.

FAVORITE CITY HES TRAVELED TO

FOR A TOURNAMENT:
Kissimmee, Fla.

FAVORITE HARRY POTTER CHARACTER:

FAVORITE HARRY POTTER SCENE:

FAVORITE HARRY POTTER HOUSE:

Sirius Black

Wizards Chess in Sorcerers Stone

Gryffindor

his is Vonadas third year playing

the sport inspired by the popular
Harry Potter book series.
Looking to join a club at the
student fair in Fall 2011, Vonada
spotted the Quidditch club table. He enjoys
playing sports, and he likes Harry Potter, so
the choice to join wasnt a difficult one.
I thought, Lets try something new,
Vonada said. Lets try something that not
every kid says they played growing up.

for conditioning on their own, as practices

are mainly devoted to enhancing skills and
simulating game situations.
Vonada needs that conditioning as a chaser,
which is the position responsible for scoring
by throwing the quaffle, or in Muggle terms a
volleyball, through one of three hoops.
I like the chaser position because its a lot
more pass-oriented and its a very offensive
position, Vonada said. Ive always enjoyed
the teamwork aspect.

LIFE ON THE PITCH

Vonada said a typical week for him includes
three practices that last about two hours
each. Practices include a warmup, stretches,
position drills and usually conclude with
a short scrimmage. The team practices at
Robinson Field off Sunnyside Avenue.
Kansas has competed in three tournaments
and a head-to-head matchup this season.
Depending on the size of the tournament,
Vonada said he has played in as many as six
matches in a single day and as many as 10 in
a two-day span. A typical Quidditch match
lasts about 25 minutes, but Vonada said one
can last as long as an hour and a half.
As an outdoor sport, the team doesnt
always play in ideal conditions. Vonada
said the temperature for one tournament
bottomed out at 26 degrees.
If the temperature was anywhere in the
20s or above, we were practicing because we
needed to get used to what it would be like,
Vonada said.
To stay in shape on off-days, Vonada spends
a lot of time at Ambler Student Recreation
Fitness Center. He said players are responsible

SENIOR YEAR SUCCESS

With a 14-2 record this season, Kansas
Quidditch is currently ranked No. 13 in the
country, according to the US Quidditch
organization. Vonada said the team peaked
at No. 2 earlier in the season behind the
University of Maryland.
In October, Kansas finished first in
the Kansas Cup, where it went 4-0 and
defeated the University of Minnesota in the
championship. The team also finished in
second place at the Cowboy Cup tournament
in Stillwater, Okla., later that month.
The team is now preparing for the Quidditch
World Cup, which Vonada said is the March
Madness of Quidditch. The tournament will
be in Rock Hill, S.C., on April 11-12, where 80
teams and 1,600 players will compete for the
Quidditch Cup. The University of Texas took
home the cup in 2014.
HIS BEST QUIDDITCH MOMENT
Two years ago, that setting provided Vonada
with what he said is his best time at KU.
Up against a heavily favored Baylor squad
that had been ranked No. 1 in the country,

LETS PLAY QUIDDITCH

CHASER
Advances the quaffle (volleyball) down the field by
carrying, passing or kicking it. Chasers score goals
worth 10 points each by throwing them through goal
hoops. Each team has three chasers.

Kansas pulled off the upset by snagging

the snitch to end the match with a narrow
10-point victory in front of hundreds of
spectators.
All the writers had us getting slaughtered,
Vonada said. But we kept them close
throughout the game and eventually pulled
off one of the biggest upsets in Quidditch at
the time.
That momentum carried to the next round
against a Marquette team that took first place
at the Midwest Regional Championship
that season. Kansas again caught the snitch
to claim the match and advance in the
tournament. The team ended up making the
Elite Eight, losing to UCLA.
MAKEUP OF THE QUIDDITCH TEAM
Kansas team consists of 41 players: 29 men
and 12 women.
Vonada said a lot of players on the team
played sports in high school, but the team
also includes people who hadnt competed
athletically before college.
[Those players] are outstanding for having
never played sports, Vonada said. Theyre
taking some of our top spots.
In addition to the 41 players on the team,
Vonada said other students will occasionally
practice with the team to try out the sport. He
said you dont have to travel with the team to
participate.
Thats something we encourage, Vonada
said. We want to spread the sport, and we
want everyone to have fun and try something
new.
Not everyone on the team is a Harry Potter
fanatic, but a good portion of the team likes

BEATERS
Disrupt the flow of the game by throwing dodgeballs
called bludgers at players to knock them out. The player
hit with the ball is out of play until they touch the teams
own goals. Each team has two beaters.

to stick to its roots, Vonada said. The teams

captain, senior Kate Cooley from Topeka,
owns a Christmas tree covered in Harry
Potter ornaments, complete with a Sorting
Hat at the top.
ROLE AS VICE PRESIDENT
As vice president of the club, Vonada assists
the president with tasks like deciding which
tournaments to compete in, planning trips
and planning how to fund them.
The club primarily relies on merchandise
sales to help fund its trips to tournaments. It
sells items like T-shirts, jerseys and sunglasses.
Vonada also helps to promote the sport on
campus and in the community. He organizes
appearances at University fairs and local
elementary and high schools. He also wears
his Kansas Quidditch jersey on campus,
sparking conversations with strangers who
are interested in the club.
FUTURE OF QUIDDITCH
Vonada said the sport has continued to
grow in popularity nationwide, noting the
recent creation of Major League Quidditch,
a national league composed of teams from
Boston, New York, Washington D.C.,
Cleveland, Rochester, Indianapolis, Detroit
and Ottawa.
When Vonada sees the Harry Potter
characters playing Quidditch in the movies,
he wonders if the sport will evolve to the point
where it can be played with flying brooms and
a floating snitch.
Maybe we could be the next sport on TV,
Vonada said. In 20 years, I could definitely
see Quidditch becoming a big deal.

KEEPER
Defends the goal hoops. Each team has one keeper.

SEEKER
Catches the snitch to end the game. The snitch is worth
30 points and is a ball attached to the waistband of a
neutral player called the snitch runner. Each team has
one seeker.

FAMILY

MATTERS
For Stowers, new family
trumps football

MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
Kansas football defensive lineman Keon Stowers holds his 11-month-old son, Dallas Anderson Stowers. Stowers proposed to his longtime girlfriend and mother of his son, Carley Baker on Saturday.

Christian Hardy
@Hardy_NFL

eon
Stowers
woke up in his
apartment at Jayhawker Towers
and glanced at
the clock. He hustled out of
bed, grabbed his things and
sprinted to practice as fast
as a 6-foot-2, 224-pound
defensive lineman can.
Stowers has been fighting
against the clock his whole
life. In high school, when
Stowers decided he wanted play football, his grades
16B | DITL

were poor. But when he

decided he wanted to turn
that around, one teacher at
Northwestern High School
in Rock Hill, S.C., wasnt on
the same page.
He basically told me, Its
too late. You should have
thought about this a year or
two ago, Stowers said. I
kind of used that my whole
life a teacher telling me
it was too late, and they
couldnt do anything.
After high school, he
spent two years at Georgia
Military College, where he
earned his associate degree

and caught the eye of multiple Division I colleges. At

Georgia Military he was
given a rigid schedule.
One thing I did take from
there was being on time,
Stowers said. I was late to
one workout ever here at
KU, my three years here.
Everything else, Ive never
been late, never missed anything, always been on time.
I take pride in that, he
said.
NOTHING BUT GOOD
THINGS TO SAY
Now, ready to graduate

from the University in May

with a Bachelor of General
Studies in Liberal Arts and
Sciences and a minor in
history, he has a lot more to
be proud of than being on
time.
Stowers was courted by
a handful of NFL scouts at
Kansas Pro Day on March
25, including the Texans,
who said they wanted him
in their training camp.
On Saturday, Stowers
proposed to his longtime
girlfriend and mother of his
son, Carley Baker, during a
two-day vacation their

first together since their son

was born in Branson,
Mo. In May, their son, Dallas Anderson Stowers, will
celebrate his first birthday.
Baker, who works at her
sons daycare, has given
Stowers the structure that
he needs but lacked for the
first part of his life.
Shes been instrumental,
Stowers said. Shes been to
almost all of my games from
high school to junior college to here. Its been great
to be able to have someone
like that. When Ive been
up, shes been there, and

when Ive been down shes

been there. Its been really
good to have support and
her family.
Stowers parents were
both in and out of jail when
he was growing up, but
when he was in high school
he realized he didnt want
that, so he turned to football and started improving
his grades.
I definitely think I would
be selling drugs, in jail,
dead, somewhere, if I didnt
choose to go the right way,
Stowers said. I probably
definitely wouldnt be with

her.
Stowers didnt meet Bakers family from South Carolina until the two had been
dating for a year. Stowers
was a senior and finally had
his act together, but Baker,
who is white, wasnt sure if
her parents would accept
Stowers because he is black.
I knew my dad wasnt going to go for that, she said.
But when Stowers went
away to Georgia Military,
Baker knew she had to tell
her parents something. The
next weekend, when he was
back in Rock Hill, Bakers
dad, Anderson, told Stowers to get into his truck for
a ride.
He went and told him,
Ill kill you if you hurt her,
Baker said.
He did say that, Stowers interrupted, laughing.
With a shotgun in the back
of the truck.
But after seeing Stowers,
Anderson, who died last
year, wanted more information about the kid who was
dating his daughter.
He was trying to find
something bad about him,
but nobody could say anything bad, Baker said.
MOVING FORWARD
Since Stowers didnt have
a home in Rock Hill when
his mom was in prison,
Bakers home became his
own when he was in town.
But his family from his
hometown eight brothers and one stepsister are
still struggling, for the most
part.
Im onto bigger and better things and making a life
with my family now, and
theyre still there, Stowers
said.
Stowers past has influenced his outlook on life.
You can be successful in
what you do and what you

MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
Former Kansas defensive lineman Keon Stowers gives his son,
Dallas, a kiss on the cheek. Stowers is graduating in May.

love, Stowers said. Keep

going. Keep trying. Dont
let anybody tell you that you
cant do it, or dont let one
incident mess up everything
else that youre trying to do.
Stowers name isnt expected to be called in the upcoming NFL Draft, though
hell be highly sought after;
hes expected to be a priority
undrafted free agent.
When he gets the call
from a team, hell send his
dad an email or pick up a
phone and call him, as he
does almost every week.
And he might pay per minute to talk to his mom in a
state penitentiary.
But everything Stowers
has done since hes been at
Kansas is to benefit his new
family, Baker and Dallas,

who have supported him

and been there for him.
After he injured his pectoral muscle on Pro Day, he
said he realized how fleeting a career in football can
be. And he doesnt want to
be late preparing for his future.
If I have to get the surgery and Im unable to get
picked up by a team this
year, Im going to probably
retire from football, Stowers said. I have a family,
and a life to attend to. You
cant spend it chasing a silly
dream. You have to enjoy it
when youre in it, but once
youre out, youre out.
Now Ive got to start
prepping my little guy to
get up there and to be a Jayhawk, he said.

MISSY MINEAR/KANSAN
Former Kansas football defensive lineman Keon Stowers poses with his fiancee, Carley Baker,
and their son, Dallas Anderson Stowers. Stowers said if he isnt picked up by a professional
team this year, he would most likely retire from football.

DITL | 17B

THREES
COMPANY

Sophomore journalism
student juggles softball,
Senate and a sorority

JEFF JACOBSEN/KU ATHLETICS

Sophomore Sophia Templin is a softball player, a student senator and a sorority member. Ive never wanted to be just one thing,
because Ive always wanted to do everything, and Ive always been able to make it work, she said.

Amie Just
@Amie_Just

ophia
Templins
multi-colored, floral-patterned planner has seen better days.
The rings of its spine have
started to bend in multiple directions; the corners
are starting to wear. The
gold, glitter stickers that
spell Theta on the bottom
righthand corner are peeling at the edges.
Templins planner goes
everywhere with her. Its
her lifeline. Without it, her
life would fall into complete chaos.
The sophomore journalism student does much
more than take classes
and return home. She is a
member of Kappa Alpha
Theta sorority, is a student
senator and plays Division
I softball for the University,
18B | DITL

while making grades in the

Honors Program.
But she wasnt always this
involved.
My freshman year, my
first semester, I was just
a student-athlete, and I
had never been just a student-athlete,
Templin
said. I had never solely
identified with athletics as
who I was. In my first fall
semester, all my friends
had rushed sororities and
were getting involved with
things like SUA and being
involved on campus doing
new things, and I was just a
softball player.
Templin acknowledges
that playing softball is a
huge time commitment,
but it wasnt enough for
her. She needed more on
her plate, just like she did
in high school.
She attended De Soto
High School, a 4A school,

in a small town located between Lawrence and Kansas City. There were around
160 students in her graduating class, and Templin
did everything she could
to stay involved. She was
editor of the school newspaper, a class officer, a softball player, in the band and
on the dance team. She was
also in charge of planning
prom.
Ive never settled, Templin said of her long list of
activities. Ive never wanted to be just one thing, because Ive always wanted
to do everything, and Ive
always been able to make
it work.
Conflicts arise all the
time for Templin.
She has sorority chapter
meetings when shes on the
road for softball. Senate
still meets on Wednesdays,
with or without her.

Theres kind of like a

hierarchy and everybody
is really understanding of
things, Templin said. I
wish I could be everywhere
at once, but I cant. A lot of
times, Ill be on the road
for softball and Ill be on a
Google doc with people for
Senate or group projects for
class. My groups hate me
because Im so busy.
And everything gets
harder during softball season because of travel.
Large blocks of time are
blacked out when on the
road, Templin said.
Offseason is something
that you dont realize is
as wonderful as it is until
youre during the season,
Templin said. You think,
What did I do with all that
time?
Whatever problem or
project is thrown her way,
she generally ends up fit-

ALI DOVER/KANSAN
Sophia Templin, a sophomore from De Soto, offers some ideas
for a student coalition at a Student Senate meeting.

ting everything in.

Sometimes it baffles me
at the end, because I made
it all work, Templin said.
Greek life, athletics and
Student Senate are three
things that most people
only pick one to participate

in, Templin said.

But if she had to pick one
thing, shed be a student
over everything.
Im at KU because I love
KU, Templin said. I love
the journalism school here.
That is invaluable to me.

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