4
Volume 126 Issue 98
Monday, March 31, 2014
kansan.com
+
+
FEATURE
Adoption gives student purpose in life
Denise Leonard, a University student from Topeka, flips through a photo album she was given when her son, Wilson Cole, turned one. Leonard gave up her son for adoption to a childless couple after realizing that was her purpose in life.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
EMILY DONOVAN news@kansan.com
After their son's first birthday. Wilson Cole's parents gave his birth mother a photo album. It's full of black-and-white baby photos and happy family portraits.
Denise Leonard loves one photo in particular: herself, Wilson's birth mother, and Heather Cole, his adoptive mother, smiling together in the hospital.
Denise gave her son to a couple in need in an open adoption two years ago. Now a 30-year-old sophomore from Topeka in the School of Social Welfare, she is studying to become an adoption counselor. She wants to use her experiences to help other birth mothers.
"I want to shout my story to the world," Leonard said. "I love our adoption story."
In August 2010, Denise found out she was pregnant. She and Jon Leonard had been dating since April. There were a lot of what-ifs.
Denise was living in a homeless shelter and finishing an associate's degree in biological science. Having a newborn would jeopardize her job hunt. From day one, Jon was supportive.
Denise never considered abortion an option. She remembers feeling hurt when her mom, who got pregnant at the age of 16, would wish she had aborted Denise.
Jon brought up adoption. "If it's a girl, I want to keep it," Denise decided. "If it's a boy, maybe we could help a childless couple."
Before meeting Jon, Denise already had three sons from previous relationships; Jon already had one son from his previous marriage. With four sons, Denise had always wanted a daughter to play dolls with.
"We're taught in preschool to share, and I already had three sons plus a stepson," Denise said.
In October, the sonogram technician told Denise and Jon their child was a boy. Denise remembers crying so hard the technician was uncomfortable enough to leave the room.
"I beat myself up over that for a long time before I realized this is my purpose," Denise said. "This is what I'm here for. I was necessary to this couple. It was necessary for him to be a boy."
Denise and Jon went through
an adoption agency to choose the parents to place their son with. Heather and Thad Cole seemed perfect from the first question when they met for the first time in the Cole living room.
"So do you have any names picked out?" Denise asked.
"Yes." Heather said with a straight face. "We were going to name him Leslie Francis Ashley."
Denise panicked. She had been worried that the couple would name their son some-
SEE ADOPTION PAGE 3
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Denise's favorite photo shows Denise, Wilson's birth mother,and Heather Cole, his adoptive mother,smiling together in the hospital.
AUSTIN MCGUIRE
JAKE NOVICOFF
CHLOE HOSID
DALTON JORNS
Naismith Hall names Naismith Scholars
CAMPUS
DALTON KINGERY news@kansan.com
Last week Naismith Hall announced the members of its inaugural class of Naismith Hall Scholars for Spring 2014. Naismith residents Dalton Jorns, Austen McGuire, Chloe Hosid and Jake Novicoff were selected as Naismith Hall Scholars on the basis of academic achievement, community involvement and leadership. All four winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
Naismith Hall, a private residence hall just off campus, created the Naismith Hall Scholars program in an effort to more effectively contribute to the academic success of its residents.
"The motivation for starting the Naismith Scholars program was to celebrate and reward our residents," said Sara
sophomore from Olathe. "I hadn't really expected to win; I just did it and hoped for the best."
Jorns added that the creation of the Naismith Scholars program illustrates that Naismith
"It didn't feel real until I was holding the big check and having my picture taken."
AUSTIN MCGUIRE
Naismith Scholar Winner
Mann, the general manager of Naismith Hall. "We look for any way that we can contribute to and invest in the academic futures of our residents."
pool that Mann referred to as "extremely competitive," each of this year's Naismith Scholars received a phone call informing them that they had been chosen as a winner of the scholarship.
After being selected as the top four applicants out of a
"When I got the call, I was surprised more than anything" said Dalton Jorns, a
Hall is serious about giving back to the University community.
McGuire, who transferred to the University from Norwich University in Vermont, expressed appreciation for the financial help the scholarship will provide.
"They take care of us and put a genuine effort into making our college experience a positive one," lorns said.
"It means a lot and it's good to know you have people backing you up," McGuire said. "Transferring here from Vermont, I don't have a lot of the scholarships that you get as a high school senior coming out of high school."
Index CLASSIFIEDS 11 CRYPTOQUIPS 5 SPORTS 12 CROSSWORD 5 OPINION 4 SUDOKU 5
Austen McGuire, a sophomore from Overland Park, experienced nothing short of
Chloe Hosid, a sophomore from Plano, Texas, will use the scholarship to further her career goal of designing en-
"It didn't feel real until I was holding the big check and having my picture taken," McGuire said.
disbelief when he received the call.
Don't Forget
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2014 The University Daily Kansan
SEE SCHOLARS PAGE 3
To prepare for April Fools' Day.
Today's Weather
Windy. Cloudy skies will become sunny in afternoon.