Volume 126 Issue 100
kansan.com
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
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CAMPUS
BUSINESS SCHOOL BLUEPRINT
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
University raises funds for Villagomez memorial tree
International Student Services has begun to raise money through KU Endowment for a tree to be planted in memory of Gianfranco Villagomez, a University graduate student who died in December of 2013 after sustaining a head injury after a fall on the 800 block of Avalon Rd.
The University has priced the cost of the project at $1,000, including expenses to cover not only the cost of the tree and the planting of the tree, but also the cost to maintain the tree as well as some guarantee that the tree should be able to be replaced if something were to go wrong with it.
According to Chuck Olese, the director of International Student Services, the tree is to be planted near Marvin Hall, a spot picked because of the time Villagomez had spent in the building as an undergraduate.
"We felt like it would be appropriate to extend some sort of a memorial for his memory given that he was so active on campus in so many different areas — both academically and socially — and that so many people knew him," Olcese said. "And because he was an international student, we thought it was appropriate for us to take the lead."
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
International Student Services had originally hoped to be able to raise the money and complete the project for Villagomez by this spring, but have now begun to set their expectations on having the project completed by December 2014.
Olcese also said that the project does not only allow people to contribute to the memory of Villagomez but it also allows students to contribute to the University's landscape and architecture plan.
Business building will promote openness
— Tom DeHart
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
TOM DEHART news@kansan.com
will focus on and utilize transparency and openness to generate a more fluid, energetic feeling inside of the building.
The Business School has revealed its plans for a new building to be constructed near the corner of Naismith Ave. and Sunnyside Ave. The building is intended to promote a more open and social environment by using an atrium as a "social hub" to connect both the north and south wings of the building.
The building will be opened for classes in the fall semester of 2016, and will be composed of 19 classrooms, 202 offices, and two large auditoriums. The auditoriums will seat 350 people in the larger of the two, and 125 students in the other. The building
said. "You know, people come here, they go to classes and they leave because it's just kind of how it's built. That really is the focus. We're trying to make this the most user [and] student friend-
The concept of the building to utilize an atrium was something that was borrowed from the University of Chicago's Business School
"Summerfield just doesn't have the capabilities of creating these collaborative spaces where people can go and socialize and work on team projects and what not," Falley
"The building really is meant to be buzzing in a lot of ways," said Austin Falley, the School of Business' communications director. "We want people to see the things that are going on on all levels. We want students to be able to see the kind of activity and the buzz. When industry people come in to visit, we want them to feel the same way."
building, Falley said.
ly experience possible as something that any student in the business school, or any student at KU can come and enjoy."
Edited by Cara Winkley
UNIVERSITY
Students share coming out stories for LGBTQ celebration
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JESSICA MITCHELL news@kansan.com
Mitchell Cota
Junior from Overland Park
Preferred pronouns: He/Him/His
I knew I was probably gay at a young age, but I didn't really question it especially since I went to Catholic school. I was already kind of discriminated against because I am racially ambiguous. I'm also a little bit more feminine and my voice isn't the most heteronormative-straight voice in the entire world. I got made
tun of a lot for that, so I kind of repressed myself. I had a few hot girl friends, though, so that protected me from any super oppression. They would always stand up for me and be like "No, he's such a ladies man." But everyone knows that "ladies man" is just a term for calling someone gay without being mean.
Throughout high school I just ignored it, I guess, but my junior year I came out to my best friend as, surprise surprise, bisexual. I said it really offhandedly too, and she was like, "Cool, whatever," and went on with her life. We never talked about it again either, which was super awkward. I also dated a girl for a hot six months. She was pretty masculine, so it was sort of a way for me to tell people that I wanted to date a man. But she really helped me get comfortable with the fact that I knew I was probably gay. I mean, ultimately, what happened was I just fell for a guy at my high school. We were really good friends and I always had a feeling he was gay. I was like the third person he came out to; I was really excited for him and we just started casually dating behind everyone's back. Secret love: Romeo and Juliet. No one knew.
Eventually, though, we decided to come out to our parents at the same time. I always used Catholicism as an excuse to be in the closet, and he knew that, but I wanted to support him and agreed to do it. He had planned to throw this huge party for his coming out, but no one else in our friend group knew I was gay or that we were dating. So they were throwing this huge party for him even though I was coming out too. It was a little sad. But I came out to everyone anyway. I have two gay uncles on my mom's side of the family, so I obviously knew she would be OK with
it. She said that she had always had a feeling that I was gay and could just tell, even from when I was like 2 years old. But both of my parents were very accepting and it was pretty easy even though I rushed it upon them. The only person who didn't know for a while was my little sister, who was 12 at the time. After telling everyone, the majority of my friends said that they actually had wanted to date me but also knew that I was probably gay. That was kind of the general feeling. I mean, I embrace my femininity and I've never really tried to hide that.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SURPRISE SINCE COMING OUT?
Looking back on it, I honestly would have rather come out in my own time. I was just star-struck in love, and wanted to appease someone else. I think the most surprising thing is
Megan Pyle
Junior from Overland Park
Preferred pronouns: She/Her/Her
Growing up, I had really short hair and tended to dress in clothes from the boys' section. My favorite clothes to wear were camo; I went through a crazy camo phase. It wasn't until around middle school that my mom wanted me to start growing my hair out for high school so I wouldn't get bullied. I did it. I guess I started dressing more feminine-
that I didn't do it when I wanted to do it, which is a little sad.
I came out to mostly gay people at first, just because I wanted to test the waters. I mean I knew they'd all obviously be fine with it, so I came out to my older sister's gay friend and he helped me come out to her. I am also a twin, though, and she was actually the last person to know. My twin sister and I have kind of a strange relationship, because a lot of things just go unsaid. Being so close, her opinion mattered most to me so I was very nervous about what she would think or say. One of our mutual friends
ly but halfway through high school, like 2009, I had a crush on my best friend and we were going to Italy over the summer for a class. We made this joke about being like Paolo and Lizzie from "The Lizzie McGuire Movie," and it was just a joke but I was completely feeling it.
Index CLASSIFIEDS 7 CRYPTOQUIPS 5 SPORTS 8 CROSSWORD 5 OPINION 4 SUDOKU 5
SEE LGBTQ PAGE 2
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