Washburn University
Sociology/Anthropology
November 2015
Volume 2015, Issue 11
CHAIR’S CORNER
I can’t believe it is almost November. Is it just me, or is this
semester passing very quickly?
As you will read in the next few pages, October was a busy
month.
The department held an Open House for the Grand
Homecoming last Friday. Two alumni who came by were
able to give us some historical information about the
department that none of us knew, which was very
interesting. I hope students were able to attend some of the
festivities held during the weekend.
We (and by “we,” I mean mostly Tammy) have been
finalizing the display boards and creating the
demonstrations for the tours taking place in our new lab
spaces during the Grand Opening Week of the KBI Forensic
Science Center. Please be sure to come to one of the tours
on Tuesday, which is Washburn Day. It is probably the only
chance we have to tour the KBI side of the building.
Advising for Spring 2016 classes is ongoing. Any students
who have not signed up with their advisor should do so.
It is encouraging to see more students coming by the
department for free coffee. We want you to feel welcome to
hang out awhile if you have time and let us get to know you
better, and for you to get to know your fellow majors better.
As always, if anyone has ideas for what they want to see in
the newsletter or on the departmental web site, please let
Tammy or me know.
Dr. Cheryl Childers
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Page 2
New KBI Building Grand
Opening Week
Page 3
Andrea Burton
Grand Homecoming
Open House
Page 4
Study Abroad—India
Academic Calendar
Important Dates for
November
Page 5
Grade School Panel
Page 6
Sociology/Anthropology
Club
Page 7
Thanksgiving
NEW KBI BUILDING GRAND OPENING WEEK
The new KBI building on the Washburn University campus will have its Grand Opening
Week November 2nd—6th. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot $55 million facility
replaces the KBI’s existing facility. It will be able to handle things like fingerprint and tire
analysis, DNA matching, chemical and biological analysis, ballistics, the digital forensics.
The new facility was built for the purpose of being a crime lab and includes classroom/lab
space that will house classes for Washburn University’s forensic program. The forensic
program includes forensic chemistry, crime scene investigation, digital forensics, AND
forensic anthropology. Additionally, there is a “dig” site located on the KBI building
grounds for the forensic anthropology program. The partnership between Washburn
University and KBI will allow for select students to serve as practicing apprentices with KBI
staff. KBI experts will also be used as adjunct professors.
Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the new facility during the Grand
Opening Week. After the week is over unless you are part of the KBI or its clientele, you will
not have the opportunity to see the KBI areas again.
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Monday, November 2nd, 10:00am: Ribbon cutting followed by tours for dignitaries
Tuesday, November 3rd, 9:00am: Tours start for Washburn University faculty, staff,
and students and at 1:00pm tours start for Washburn University’s invited guests.
Wednesday, November 4th, all day: Tours for KBI clientele only
Thursday, November 5th, 9:00am-5:00pm: Tours for the general public
Friday, November 6th, 9:00am-5:00pm: Tours for the general public
Andrea Burton
It is with great sadness that we say our
good-byes to Andrea Burton, who
succumbed to cancer. Andrea had earned
her M.A. in Sociology from Kent State
University and had been a Adjunct
Instructor of Sociology for the Sociology/
Anthropology Department for most of the
past 11-years until her passing on October
27, 2015. Andrea taught both face-to-face
courses and online courses in Introduction
to Sociology and Aging and Society.
Outside of Washburn University, Andrea
worked for the Kansas Historical Society
at the State Capitol. She was the Visitor
Center Coordinator and provided tours of
the capitol building, including the capital
dome. You can go to the following link to
hear Andrea discussing the history of the
Kansas State Capitol and some of its most
notable features on American History TV
C-Span: http://www.c-span.org/video/?
325368-1/kansas-state-capitol .
Andrea is survived by her husband, Russell
Burton, six children and several foster
children. Visitation will be Friday, October 30th, from 5:00pm-7:00pm and services will
be Sunday, November 1st, at 3:00pm. Both the visitation and the services will be held at
the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church, 4775 SW 21st St, Topeka.
GRAND HOMECOMING OPEN
The Sociology/Anthropology Department
participated in Washburn University’s Grand
Homecoming by hosting an Open House on Friday,
October 16th, from noon until 4:00pm. The
department enjoyed visiting with our alumni that
dropped in to chat. We had recent graduates and
alumni from as far back as 1981 and even 1968. It
was a very enjoyable afternoon of socializing,
catching up, and sharing stories and the history of
the Sociology/Anthropology Department.
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STUDY ABROAD - INDIA
Dr. Sharla Blank will be co-leading a group of Washburn University students to India
December 26th—January 14th. Two of our majors, Zach Downing (Sociology) and Lori
Holstrom (Anthropology), one of our minors, Dawn Jensen (Anthropology), and one of the
department’s student workers, Michael Anschutz (Secondary Education—English) are
members of the study abroad class and trip. During the trip portion of the class, they will tour
Mumbai (Bombay), Maximum
City (Gate of India), Colaba
Market, Chowpatty, Jain TempleMalabar Hill, Ali Dargah, Ajanta
Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort,
India Gate, Parliament,
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and the
Taj Mahal. They will also attend
classes at Symbiosis International
University.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR IMPORTANT DATES FOR NOVEMBER
November 2 and 3: Seniors advance registration for the spring 2016 semester
November 4 and 5: Juniors advance registration for the spring 2016 semester
November 6 and 9: Sophomores advance registration for the spring 2016 semester
November 10 and 11: Freshman advance registration for the spring 2016 semester
November 12: Open registration begins (ends January 15, 2016)
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break
November 30: Success Week begins (ends December 4, 2015)
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Grad
School
Panel
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
4:00pm—6:00pm
A panel of Sociology and
Anthropology faculty will provide
information about applying to
graduate schools and about grad
school. The panel will also be
available to answer questions.
Henderson Room 107
FREE!!
Open to All SO & AN Majors
Sponsored by the
Sociology/Anthropology Club
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UPCOMING
SOCIOLOGY/
ANTHROPOLOGY
CLUB EVENTS
Grad School Panel:
November 17th from
4:00pm-6:00pm in
HC107
November Fun/
Social Event—A
Mixer: Mid-Late
November but exact
date/time/location is
still to be determined.
SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY CLUB
The Sociology/Anthropology Club , in collaboration with a
couple other student organizations, kicked off a Voter
Registration Drive wrapped up their National Voter
Registration Day. The drive began on National Voter
Registration Day, September 22nd, and concluded at the
iREAD “March” event with Congressman and Civil Right
Movement leader John Lewis the evening of October 14th.
During the Voter Registration Drive, a grand total of 401
students, faculty, and staff were registered to vote.
The club also sponsored the WTE (Iceland Study Abroad)
Presentations on October 19th. Nine of the ten students
that participated in the Iceland Study Abroad presented.
Presentations ranged from Icelandic parental leave from
both a cultural and legal perspective to the bar culture’s
work and labor force to the economic crash and recovery to
political and social activist groups.
The club would like to thank everyone who ordered a
Sociology/Anthropology t-shirt. The shirts are done. Once
we have them and have them sorted, everyone who ordered
a shirt will be contacted via email. Shirts will be available
to be picked up in the Sociology/Anthropology Department
office, Henderson Room 218, Monday-Friday 8:00am until
5:00pm.
For updates on events,
either go to
www.washburn.edu/
anso or follow us and
like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/
wusoan.
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Before the semester ends, the club has two more activities
planned. On November 17th from 4:00pm until 6:00pm in
HC107, the club will host a Grad School Panel. The panel
will consists of both Sociology and Anthropology faculty,
Dr. Childers, Dr. Blank, and Mr. Conner, from the
Sociology/Anthropology Department. The panel will
provide information about applying to graduate schools
and about graduate school. They will also answer questions
that students have about the process of applying and about
graduate school.
November’s fun/social event will be a mixer. Plans are still
in the works. Information will be sent out once all the
plans are finalized.
Please Consider Giving to the Sociology/Anthropology Department
at Washburn University - It’s Easy . . .
Go
to www.givetowashburn.org,
Click on Ways to Give,
Click on Areas to Give,
See a list of all fund designations,
Select either:
Archaeology Program, Archaeology Program Scholarship Fund,
Sociology/Anthropology Department, or Sociology/Anthropology Department Scholarship Fund
OR
Mail a check to:
Washburn University Foundation
1729 SW MacVicar Avenue
Topeka, KS 66604
Be sure to note one of the areas above in the memo line on the check.
THANK YOU!
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