Section A·Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, May 7. 1999
Golf tournament to raise money for scholarships
By Amanda Kaschube Special to the Kansan
Educators and friends of the School of Education will take to the golf course at noon today to raise money for education scholarships.
The 6th annual Gale Sayers Benefit Golf Tournament will be held at Alvamar Country Club, 1800 Crossgate Drive, and will feature Sayers, former Chicago Bears running back and University of Kansas graduate.
Karen Symms Gallagher, dean of education, said Sayers donated his name to the tournament to attract more participants. School officials are hoping that 75 people will participate.
"People like talking to famous people," she said. "The tournament helps alums connect with students."
The event costs $150 for alums and $125 for educators. All proceeds go toward scholarships. Gallagher said the tournament had given at least 24 students scholarships to the University.
"The fee is expensive compared to most public courses," she said. "But, you get to play at a nice course, meet Gale Sayers and contribute money to the school."
The idea for the golf tournament began in Spring 1994 when the National Advisory Board for the School of Education brainstormed to create fund raising projects. Sayers was asked to be on the board, Gallagher said.
Jerry Colwell, KU alumnus and board member, said he joined the golf tournament because of his interest in the sport and Savers.
"He's a fun guy and an outstanding businessman," Colwell said. "We try to raise a minimum of $10,000 every year."
Kay Jones, another member of the board and KU graduate, said Sayers had made a tremendous effort to get the community involved with the University.
For those students who could not afford the entry fee but wanted to participate, the Advisory Board sponsored them. Gallagher said she contributed money for one student.
"In each foursome, there is at least one student," she said. "It's a good chance for them to meet with alums."
Along with the opportunity to play at Alvamar, participants also are served lunch, awarded prizes and have the chance to take a picture with Sayers.
Allison Rose Lopez, advancement placement officer for the School of Education, said Sayers would play one hole with each group because people enter the tournament with the expectation of meeting him.
"They really appreciate him," Lopez said. "He is an integral part of the whole tournament."
Gallagher said the tournament connected alumni to the University and to future alumni.
"A lot of alums realize the importance of scholarships, and they want to help future students," she said. "If you enjoy golf, it's a really fun way to contribute money to education."
Edited by Karen Lucas
By Matt Merkel-Hess
Student's museum passion changes life
Special to the Kansan
On his weekly trip inside the main diorama at the Natural History Museum, museum employee Jason Wolvington has become used to the glass-eyed stares of frozen animals and astonished museum visitors.
Jason Wolvington, Lansing graduate student, is in charge of checking the temperature and the humidity for the Panorama of North American Animals, an exhibit in the Natural History Museum. This spring, Wolvington will become the third person at KU to earn a masters degree of historical administration in the natural history track of museum studies. Photo by Robyn Brooks/KANSAN
"Sometimes the kids point and tap," said Wolvington, Lansing graduate student, with a laugh. As he follows the small path deeper into the diorama, children do notice and their voices vibrate through the thick panes. He looks back for a few seconds, smiles and keeps moving to the back where he bends underneath a deer and changes the paper in a hydrothermograph, an instrument used to track humidity and temperature in the diorama.
In June 1996, Wolvington started a summer job at the museum with one year left to earn a B.A. in biology and a B.S. in organismal biology. After graduating, he hoped to attend medical school. Instead, this spring he will be only the third person to graduate in the natural history track of KU's masters of historical administration in museum studies.
"My whole life I wanted to go to med school," Wolvington said. "I took the MCAT and had everything ready to go. The day I was going to send it off — I couldn't decide if that's what I wanted to do."
"He so obviously fit in the museum environment," Simmons said. "Some people walk in and immediately know this is what they want to do. Jason was one of those."
After working a summer in the herpetology department, Wolvington now is one of five assistants in the exhibits department. He feeds the live fish and bees, prepares labels, mounts exhibits and helps wherever needed.
John Simmons, the first KU graduate in natural history/museum studies, is the collections manager in herpetology (reptiles and amphibians) at the museum and Wolvington's first manager.
"When I'm not in class, I'm here," Wolvington said of his 25- to 30-hour work week. One experience that sealed his decision to work in museums occurred while he was changing the jar of sugar water for the museum's beehive, and a family
approached him with questions
"The family asked about the bees, and I answered their questions," Wolvington said. "And the family was so genuinely interested in what I was saying — the more I talked to them the more they listened."
"It hit me what an impact exhibits and public education have on the public. That was how I decided this was what I'd like to get into."
Wolvington's mother Patty agreed.
Wolvington's mother Patty agreed. "Working at a museum is not a surprise," she said, "He's always had a love for biology. Even when he was a youngster, he and his dad would turn over rocks searching for fossils."
in part because he's had a pace maker since age nine. At nights, his parents noticed that he would turm blue, and a visit to the doctor deter mined that his heartbeat would slow to dangerously low levels. The pace maker was inserted in his abdomen with extra wire left to stretch when he grew.
wolvington had been interested in becoming a pediatric cardiologist,
"He probably handled it better than his dad and I did." Patty Wolvington said. "He never used it as an excuse to get out of anything." Because of the pacemaker, he cannot play contact sports or be within 15 feet of a working microwave.
Instead of playing sports, Wolvington concentrated on music.
"It's a great stress reliever and a great hobby," he said. "I loved
marching band the most, but I never considered becoming a professional musician."
With the KU Marching Band, he traveled to Hawaii, New York and Japan. In band, he also met fellow musician, Stephanie Ortiz. The two were married last July.
As a junior, she started working in accounting at the museum a month before Wolvington began at the museum. She returns to the museum when the two volunteer together.
"He takes me on tours and explains thing to me," she said. "It gets me interested, too."
After school, Wolvington said he would like to stay in the area and work as an exhibit designer or in public education.
"I really enjoy working with 4-to-6-year-olds," he said. "With that age group, they know a lot, and they learn so much." At the museum, he has worked on exhibits and workshops for children.
"He's wonderful with the public and especially groups of schoolchildren," his mother said. "He's like velcro with kids. He would really be an asset to any museum."
Wolvington said jobs in natural history in this area include the Topeka and Kansas City zoos and nature centers.
"The problem I'm running into more than other people I know is that, besides the KU Natural History Museum, the next closest major natural history museums are found in Denver and Chicago," he said.
Simmons agreed, but said that most museum employees make a sacrifice to do what they love doing.
"There are jobs, but it's hard to break into the field." Simmons said. "There is a calling, and no one does it for the money. You won't starve, but you'll never get rich."
Soon, another museum may have Jason Wolvington working and adding his special touch. And he knows he shouldn't spend too much time in dioramas.
"The goal for a diorama is to freeze one moment in time and leave it up to the imagination of the visitor," he said. "If you leave the outcome up to the imagination, then you know you've succeeded."
Edited by Duane Wagler