January 22, 2020
Volume 146, Issue 14
washburnreview.org
WUmester 2020 plans to revisit Washburn’s legacy Alyssa Storm Washburn Review
WUmester is an event that Washburn University hosts every spring semester that consists of topics related to diversity, with a focus on subjects that are connected to current events. The topic for this semester is focusing on Citizenship and Suffrage not only in the United States, but the world. “These topics were chosen because of the anniversaries that take place,” said Kelly Erby, Chair of the Academic Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “This is the 150-year anniversary of the 15th Amendment, the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the year of the census as well as an election year.” The topics chosen not only focuses on voting rights of African American men and white women, they also have some events that are tailored toward African American women in history. Erby said that she is excited about this year’s topic because it ties in well with a class that she is teaching this semester. “I’m excited about the topic because I’m teaching a class, Women in US History, that looks at the role of not only white women but women of color too,” said Erby. Other notable events include the Lanker Exhibit at the Mulvane Art Museum that will be open from Feb. 7 to June 13. Also, an exhibition titled “I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed the World.” The Lincoln-Harman Lecture featuring Koritha Mitchell’s lecture “Homemade Citizenship: All but Inviting Injury” is an-
other event that takes place Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Neese Gray Theater. There will also be lectures taking place covering voting rights and civil activists. “It’s strange that just 100 years ago it wasn’t legal for women to vote,” said Emma Morrissey, a freshman criminal justice major. With politics playing a prominent role in our everyday lives, it’s important people recognize the sacrifices made to get the rights we have today. “We need graduate students to be aware of what is going on in the world around them,” said Erby. These topics of rights and inclusivity have a distinct connection to Washburn University’s history. Before it was Washburn University, the school was known as Lincoln College. The college was prominently known as one of the first universities in the United States to allow African Americans and women to openly register and enroll in the late 1800’s. “Early on Washburn played a role in being an open-access campus,” said Erby. “This event lives up to that legacy.” Many students are excited in what WUmester will bring this spring semester. “I think it’s a fantastic topic that needs to be talked about, especially with Washburn wanting to embrace more cultures with the motive for additional diversification,” said Morrissey. There are WUmester events happening from late January to the end of June. Visit the official Washburn University webpage for the full WUmester events calendar. photo courtesy of Flonzie Brown Wright
Starting with the Wright speaker: Flonzie Brown Wright is a civil rights and women’s rights activists. She is one of the speakers for WUmester.
Business professor brings market experience into classroom Washburn
welcomes new OSID director
Abbie Barth Washburn Review
Students sometimes assume professors don’t have adequate job market experience, and focus solely on academia. This isn’t always the case. Regardless, there are Washburn professors who obtained a large amount of real-world experience before entering the world of upper-level academia. Rick LeJuerrne, a lecturer in the School of Business, is just one example. LeJuerrne graduated from Washburn with an accounting degree in 1991. After working for a few different companies, he joined his father’s business, Halibrand Performance, formerly known as Halibrand Engineering. The business has a long history that uniquely ties to the recent blockbuster film “Ford vs. Ferrari.” In the 1930s, Ted Halibrand, an aviation mechanic and avid race fan, discovered that a magnesium alloy could make car parts lighter and stronger – making race cars faster. “He’s credited as the first person to make the magnesium wheel, or the ‘mag wheel,’” said LeJuerrne. “He put them on his cars and would lap opponents because being lighter was such an advantage.” Then, race car designers such as Carroll Shelby, the inventor of the GT40 and main protagonist of “Ford vs. Ferrari,” got wind of this reinvention of the wheel. “Halibrand was the company that was known for going fast. “Ted Halibrand built a company that at one point had wheels and components on 20 straight Indy 500 winners,” said LeJuerrne Ted Halibrand eventually sold the company, and after multiple ownership swaps, LeJuerrne’s father purchased the company and brought it to Wichita in 1993. The company stood for multiple decades until this past year when the owner, LeJuerrne’s father, passed away and the family decided to sell the company to Holley Performance Products. LeJuerrne originally worked at Washburn from 2003 to 2011 as the director of the Small Business and Development Center. Here, LeJuerrne used the experience and knowledge he gained from Halibrand to help entrepreneurs and business developers in Topeka. “I got to work with entrepreneurs that had great ideas and saw some businesses go from an idea to actual businesses that are around Topeka and northeast Kansas today,” said LeJuerrne. LeJuerrne is now a full-time lecturer in the School of
Wesley Tabor & Savannah Workman Washburn Review
WASHBURN REVIEW - Abbie Barth
Reinvent the wheel: LeJuerrne shows off an original Halibrand wingnut. In the movie “Ford vs. Ferrari,” there is one particular scene that felt surreal to LeJuerrne: a Halibrand wingnut being whacked onto the axle of the GT40 race car with a rubber mallet to keep the wheel in place.
Business and helped develop the entrepreneurship and innovation concentration for the school. He uses his business experience in the classroom often. “I’ve got all these experiences from Halibrand and other things that I can draw from to give advice, but I don’t have all the answers,” said LeJuerrne. Taylor Keller, a junior entrepreneurship and finance major, took one of LeJuerrne’s classes and now works closely alongside him as the president of the entrepreneurship group. “In a class that I took with him, he used a lot of examples from his experience at Halibrand,” said Keller. “I remember him telling us about a large order being placed and it was either coming or going to Mexico. He mentioned how he had so many struggles and it ended up costing the company a bunch of money.” While LeJuerrne’s students believe that he has all the answers, the man himself promises that most answers can be found using three key things. “The key is, as an entrepreneur, you must believe in yourself. And if you run into a challenge, you have to hustle and figure it out. It comes down to hustle, grit and determination,” said LeJuerrne.
Washburn University has selected Isaiah Collier as its new director of student involvement and development. Collier is currently the Assistant Dean of Student Development at Missouri Western State University, a position he has held since 2011. Collier is replacing Jessica Barraclough, who left in December 2018 to join the United Way of Greater Shawnee County. Collier will begin his new appointment Jan. 27, 2020, one week following the start of the spring semester. “Isaiah brings experience with campus activities, student organizations, Greek Life and student government. We are incredibly fortunate that a professional with his background and experience chose to join our team,” said Grospitch. According to Grospitch in a Jan. 6 email to students, faculty and staff, Collier earned both his bachelor of arts in social work and a master of education with a focus in higher education administration from the University of Akron. Collier is an Ohio native, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc and has served as an instructor at both Eastern Illinois University and Missouri Western University. Continued on page 7
ONLINE
Bayens appointed as WU Tech dean
Conflict with Iran causes concern among students
‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’ review
LYFT and Uber safety tips