THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
RICH KIDS
Johnson County stigma doesn't always stick
Wealthy students acknowledge benefits disadvantages of lavish lifestyles
BY SASHA ROE
sroe@kansan.com
After the grueling days of final exams are done, Andy McDowell takes time off for winter break. For McDowell, this means hopping aboard the 90 King Air, one of his family's three planes, and jet-setting to the turquoise waters of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, off the coast of Cancun. McDowell enjoys scuba diving and soaking up the sun on the "tizzer", his family's 68-foot yacht. A captain, employed by the McDowells, takes care of the lizzer when the family isn't spending time on it.
The campus may not be home to any Vanderbilt, Gateses or Buffetts, but McDowell, Mission Hills sophomore, is among the 41 percent of University students from Johnson County, the 46th richest county in the nation based on per capita income. Many of these students have never worried about budgeting,
McDowell is one KU student whose pock-
ture have never been steamed for cash
college tuition or car payments. They know what it's like to drive nice cars and take amazing trips. Thanks to their families financial support, they can focus on academics, athletics and hobbies instead of working part-time jobs. While some may fit the spoiled rich-kid stereotype many have a strong word ethic and desire to succeed after watching their par
ents make their money. Still others think their good fortune imposes an obligation on them to use their money wisely and to give back to society. As other students clip coupons, eat ramen noodles and struggle to pay for college, they can be both envious and entertained by watching their wealthier counterparts on TV or reading about them in stories like this.
"There aren't any maids butlers. We shovel our driveways. You'll see George Brett taking out his trash. There's still very Midwestern values there."
FASCINATION WITH WEALTH
ANNIE THOMPSON Mission Hills junior
Wealth is also a popular theme on TV shows, such as the rich Californians on MTV's "The Hills" or the extravagant parties of "My Super Sweet Sixteen." A Pew Research Center poll published in January reported that 81 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds said that being rich was one of their most important life goals.
that the nation had a fascination with wealth and that today's youth were following a trend in wanting to achieve it. Meyer said entrepreneurship was one of the fastest growing subjects on campuses.
Wallace Meyer Jr., director of entrepreneurship programs in the School of Business, said
America seems to be obeseed with acquiring wealth and scrutinizing the lives of those who have it. In September, The Wall Street Journal announced it would launch a new magazine, "Pursuits," within the next year. The magazine will capture an intimate view of the world of wealth.
Some wealthy students at the University described their families as "well-off," grew up in homes with appraised values of more than a $1 million, attended private preparatory schools and said they had often been referred to as "rich kids."
THE GOOD LIFE
McDowell said most of his spending splurges were on hunting, an activity he said he and his father enjoyed. He admitted the clothing, equipment and traveling made it an expensive hobby.
McDowell said he was fortunate to have the means to support his lifestyle. He has traveled to Belize, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Argentina, Mexico and Alaska. His favorite trips were to the uninhabited Galapagos Islands and bow hunting in Africa.
"I've been able to not look at price tags and say 'That looks cool, and throw it in the cart,' McDowell said. "But I try not to take things for granted."
His walk-in dooset is filled with "untold" amounts of hunting clothes. He said he had spent about $400 on hunting jackets, $1,000 on his bow and about $2,000 on his bow and its equipment. He said the trips could also
be price, especially when he traveled to Africa and brought some friends along. McDowell said the enjoyment he got from hunting was well worth the expense.
"Every cool, crisp morning that I spend up in a tree, I feel so fortunate to be able to do the one thing that I love most in life." McDowell said. "How many people can say that?"
Annie Thompson, Mission Hills junior, said she never gave much thought to her prosperous lifestyle. Mission Hills, a neighborhood of seven figure dwellings, is home to prominent families and local celebrities, such as former Royals baseball player George Brett, the Ward family, who owns Russell Stover Candies, the Kauffman family of Kauffman Stadium, and the Halls of Hallmark cards. Thompson said that she lived in a fairly normal house but that it might be a little larger than an average family's. She said that Mission Hills had some "really huge, crazy houses" but that it also had a strong sense of neighborhood.
"There aren't any maids or butlers," Thompson said. "We shovel our driveways. You'll see George Brett taking his trash.
SEE RICH KIDS ON PAGE 5A
CAMPUS
A critical look at popular holiday
A committee of University Governance is deciding whether to recommend that Student Senate and the KU administration eliminate stop day.
Barbara Phipps, chairwoman of the calendar committee, said that the committee, which is comprised of faculty members and KU students, was looking into eliminating the day as part of larger changes to the University calendar.
Committee member and Student Senator Mark Pacey said that he was against eliminating the day because he had witnessed students using the day to study for finals.
would not be made until 2012 because the University planned its calendar several years in advance.
The committee will write a report with a recommendation by April 1, 2008.
Phipps said that even if the committee did recommend to remove the day, changes
FULL STORY PAGE 3A
index
Classifieds...3B
Crossword...6A
Horoscopes...6A
Opinion...7A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...6A
All contents, unless stated otherwise
© 2007 The University Daily Kansan
MORE PEOPLE HAVE AIDS THAN PROJECTED
Advocacy groups say U.S. government miscalculated FULL AP STORY PAGE 4A
STUDENT SENATE
New Connect coalition takes on Senate apathy among students
Members of a new Student Senate coalition say they will use a grassroots campaign to get students more involved in Student Senate.
Connect, with Austin Kelly for president and Jason Oruch for vice president, has created an online survey to get an idea of what students want and need from the Senate before they decide on their platform. Both say students should be more involved in what the Senate does because
V
4
about $800 of each student's fees go into the Student Senate budget.
Kelly said that although Connect had not yet decided on a platform, the coalition had set values for themselves that they would maintain throughout the campaign, including student advocacy, diversity and accountability.
FULL STORY PAGE 3A
---