On the recordFebruary 24, 2010
I rise this evening to recognize Kansas State University's Proud campaign. K-State Proud was founded in the fall of 2006 as an effort for students to help other students. This year's event will be celebrated this Saturday, February 27, during the Missouri-Kansas State men's basketball game. This is a great concept that reflects our Kansas values of family, community, and stewardship. There are many people who take college experience for granted. Leaving home to pursue an education is not a given for many families. Certain amounts of financial, emotional, and spiritual support are needed to ensure a student's success. Sometimes bad things happen and students' families fall on hard times. And it's heartbreaking to see a student's dreams and hard work jeopardized by events beyond their control. The K-State Proud campaign was started in an effort to keep these struggling students in school. It was started by students, for students. Students continue to organize, plan, and execute K-State Proud's activities. This year's co-chairs are Anna Zeiger, Reed Pankratz, and Robert Swift. That is what makes this effort so unique. There are no benefactors or trust funds paying an annuity that funds the tuition or living expenses for a struggling student. This program allows these kids to collect money from their peers and to distribute to those most in need. As a society, we should take a step back and look at what K-State Proud has accomplished.
