WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2003
STUDENTLIFE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5B
Students see perks when selling trips
Bv Emily Howard
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
Justin Mennen, Overland Park senior, has a job many college students would covet. As sales manager for Student Travel Services, Mennen can travel to Acapulco, Mexico, on spring break for free.
Mennen oversees approximately 22 sales representatives. These representatives promote and sell Student Travel Services spring break trips at the University of Kansas.
As a freshman, Mennen sold more than 100 trips. After his freshman year, he was promoted to sales manager.
To organize a spring break trip to Acapulco, for his friends last year, Ryan Higgins, Wichita senior, became a sales representative for Bianchi-Rossi Tours. Because he had the trip details planned, it was easy for Higgins to sell the trip to his friends. He sold approximately 40 trips and received his trip free.
Selling to friends was not always easy.
"Some of them do not think
that you deserve to go for free." Hiiegas said.
According to the Student Travel Services Web site, if a representative sells at least 15 trips, then he qualifies not only for a free trip, but also commission off the trips sold. Bianchi-Rossi also offers a free trip and commission after 15 trips are sold.
Lindsay Demarais, Apple Valley, Minn., senior, bought a spring break package from Mennen. For Demarais, this spring break package was inexpensive compared to purchasing her own ticket and hotel.
Yet, not all students can afford the packages that the campus representatives sell.A spring break package to Acapulco from both Student Travel Services and Bianchi-Rossi Spring Break tours can cost more than $700.
However, this doesn't deter students from selling. Because many representatives live in sororities or fraternities, Mennen said creating interest and finding people for the trips is simple.
— Edited by Ryan Wood
Student pays for college through exotic dancing
By Bob Johnson
correspondence@kansan.com
Kansan correspondent
By Bob Johnson
"Tori" was kicked out of her house when she turned 18. She was not yet a stripper — that came a year and a half later — it was just that Tori told her parents that she no longer prescribed to many of their strict Mormon beliefs.
Tori, which is a stage name, had been involved in her church and was a straight-A student through high school, but her parents though she might be a bad influence on her siblings and cut her off financially.
With no financial backing of any kind, Tori's hopes of one day attending medical school were dwindling fast.
Then she found out she had been named a National Merit Scholar, and that the University of Kansas was willing to offer her a four-year scholarship that covered tuition and room and board expenses.
In the fall of 2000, Tori came to the University of Kansas to major in human biology with a minor in chemistry.
Tori needed to find a new job, one where she could make a lot of money in very few hours so she
could concentrate on her studies.
Tori and a friend tossed around job ideas and the option of stripping. The job had the hours and pay Tori was looking for. She was sold.
Tori has worked for Bada Bing for about two years, and pays for all of her extraneous expenses besides tuition and rent, with the money she makes as a dancer. She is a junior teaching assistant at the University, is taking an MCAT preparatory class and has a grade point average of 3.86.
"She is a hard worker, punctual and absolutely one of the most intelligent dancers I have ever worked with," said Mike Henderson, bar manager at Bada Bing.
Tori said this was the case with most of her co-workers.
"There is this stereotype that strippers are all drug addicts, coke heads, hookers," Tori said. "In actuality, most of the women I dance with are just working to financially support themselves and their goals."
Tori said that her relationship with her family had improved since she left home,but she still had not told them what line of work she was in.
Tori does not plan to continue dancing beyond her college years.
Some college students help pay for tuition and other expenses by working at strip clubs. Many strippers don't think that they fit the stripper stereotype.
Photo illustration by Scott Reynolds/Kansan
Edited by Anne Mantey and Christy Dendurent
but in the meantime, her chosen trade has been essential to her future success.
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Welcome Back.
Just like you, the Kansas Union has changed a lot. After 75 years, the union still maintains old traditions in a newly renovated, modern facility, featuring Starbucks Coffee, Pizza Hut, Burger King, even a convenience store. And check out the new Jaybowl, sporting a new late-nite lounge dubbed the Hawks Nest. We've changed almost everything (the KU Bookstore is still the best place to find Jayhawk merchandise). Come see what's new at
the Kansas Union or visit us online at Jayhawks.com.
Left: Kansas Union Renovation, Right: Students, 1950's Kansas Union Photo courtesy www.kauhistory.com
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