Tag Archive : Picnic with the President

by David Sekora, Academy Avatar

It is Academy tradition to celebrate the beginning of an exciting new year with an informal evening picnic at the President’s house just off campus.

“We hope we can help make these next two years be everything you dreamed they would be. Welcome to the WKU family, and the food’s up that way,” WKU President Gary Ransdell proudly declared as the catering staff ceremoniously unveiled a veritable feast of plump hot dogs, juicy hamburgers, and assorted bowls of delicious backyard barbecue favorites.

An impressive showing, to be sure, and all in honor of the Gatton Academy Class of 2013, of which Dr. Ransdell could not speak highly enough. Of course, there were more people in attendance than the Academy neophytes in question. Various Academy staff members, Community Leaders, university professors, and department heads also gathered around the round white tables for an hour of intriguing discussion.

One of the more interesting characters wandering about was Dr. Gordon Emslie, WKU’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. A triple major in Physics, Math, and Astronomy with extensive research and travel experience, Dr. Emslie regaled Academy students with logic puzzles and existential crises. From “How many post offices are in the US?” (there are less than 100000 because of 5-digit zip codes) to “Share with us something you believe to be an irrefutably true statement. Now, you have thirty seconds to convince us all that it is false,” to a broad assortment of pseudo-random facts and opinions about science, life, and the universe, the Scottish provost certainly knew how to appeal to Academy students.

Of course, the focal points of the party were Dr. Ransdell and his wife Julie Ransdell, who flitted from table to table engaging students in casual conversation about science, WKU, and adjustment to life at the Academy. After three years’ experience in holding this event, the beloved president and his wife had much to share with students new and old alike, and Dr. Ransdell’s speeches were as inspiring as ever.

“You have the whole campus at your disposal; as far as we’re concerned, you’re freshmen at WKU. You’re part of the university family now,” Ransdell said.