Academy Students Connect with WKU President, Faculty at Annual Picnic

by Kelsey Wagner, Academy Avatar

It has become a yearly tradition for the new arrivals at the Gatton Academy to travel to the home of Western Kentucky University President Dr. Gary Ransdell for a casual dinner on his front lawn as part of Adventure Week festivities. The picnic is generally held as a casual interaction between new students and staff, and serves  as a great way for people to get to know each other in an informal setting.

Dr. Bruce Kessler, the Associate Dean of Odgen College and an Academy trigonometry professor, views the picnic as a great to ease students fears about interacting with faculty on campus.

“The students are all a little nervous right now, and I hope to reassure them that I’m actually a human being,” he said. “We’re here to reassure folks that it’s gonna be okay.”

Exemplifying the casual and friendly atmosphere upheld at the annual dinner, Kessler joked that “there are a few students who were complaining about the cost of textbooks. I said, ‘Hey, your trig book is free!’”

President Ransdell values this chance for building student-staff relationships, disclosing that “I want to get to know them personally and individually and I want them to grow confident and comfortable with the WKU experience.  I want to lead by example and help lead the way for them to come to understand what we’re about as an institution and what they’re in for at the Gatton Academy experience. ”

As Ransdell mingled about the tables of dining juniors, patting them on the backs and making amiable conversation, he asked them about their experience so far.  The cookout was a very friendly and comfortable setting, which, according to Ransdell, is a good thing. When asked why the President began the now-tradition of inviting new Academy attendees to the annual picnic, he said, “First of all, to get to know them. It’s an honor to have Gatton Academy students on our campus for the next few years.”

Apparently, lounging on the lawn of the leader for a luncheon is relatively commonplace, when it comes to letting the faculty get to know some of WKU’s most extraordinary people.  “Just last week we had all of the first year international students here, and next week we’ll have all of the first-year honors students here,–about 3oo of them. Last week we had eleven teachers from China that are in our Confucius Institute that are teaching Chinese at local schools. We have lots of student and faculty groups here at the President’s home,” added Ransdell to the group.

Overall, the easygoing atmosphere and low-pressure, congenial spirit at the cookout was an equally good experience for both students and staff; they dined at the same tables, played each other in games of bocce ball and corn-hole, and generally got to know one another outside the meeting halls and classrooms.

“I had a great time interacting with kids at my table, and they were very sweet, and seemed nervous, but I think that’s to be expected,” noted Kessler.

Ransdell assures this is not the last interaction he will have with the Class of 2012 during their time on campus. “I’m just excited about this class of Gatton Academy students and cannot wait to get to know them,” he said.

Adventure Week, August, August 2010, Dr. Bruce Kessler, Dr. Gary Ransdell, Fall, Picnic wit hteh President