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LAWRENCE -- A fourth-generation Jayhawk, Patrick Bengtson, whose Jayhawks roots extend to his great-grandfather, will join a torch-passing ceremony, symbolic of the passing of knowledge, during Traditions Night at 8 tonight in Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas.
Majoring in economics and in political science, Patrick Bengtson is the son of Timothy and Kathryn Ward Bengtson of Lawrence. Patrick's father is a KU professor of journalism, and both parents attended KU. His grandmother, the late Margaret Brown Ward, was a 1940 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and his great-grandfather Silas S. Brown was a 1895 graduate, also of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
As a freshman, Patrick Bengtson will receive a lighted torch symbolizing knowledge. At twilight, a torch will be passed down KU's Mount Oread by upperclassmen and -women as they descend into Memorial Stadium, where a crowd of about 2,000 students, faculty and guests will have gathered for Traditions Night, a Hawk Week program.
Hawk Week is a series of orientation activities for students before classes begin Thursday, Aug. 22.
Tiffany Lopez, president of Mortar Board, a senior honor society, will begin the torch passing ceremony at the Rock Chalk Cairn, located midway between the Campanile and Memorial Stadium.
As Lopez descends into the stadium, she will pass the torch to Luis Carlos Parreira, senior class representative; who will pass the torch to Casie R. Olberding, junior class representative. Olberding will pass the torch to Lydia Katherine Young, sophomore class representative. Freshman representative Bengtson will receive the torch from Young.
Decades ago, in ceremonies similar to the Traditions Night event, a torch was carried annually from the Mortar Board Fire Basket at the site of North College, KU's first building, to the Rock Chalk Cairn, a heap of stones created through efforts of Omicron Delta Kappa members. The fire basket is on a commemorative plot in front of Corbin residence hall, which was built on the site of the former Old North College building. The cairn site is near the flagpole between Memorial Stadium and the Campanile.
The torch-passing ceremony was reintroduced at KU in the 1980s as part of Traditions Night. The program includes some university history, KU's alma mater and a stadium cheer known as "Waving the Wheat."
The Traditions Night program also includes greetings to the students from Chancellor Robert Hemenway and student body president Jonathan Ng, Leawood senior. Gloria Flores, associate director of freshman-sophomore advising, is mistress of ceremonies.
Brief biographical sketches of other torchbearers follow:
DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence
Patrick Bengston, freshman representative, is a Kansas Honor Scholar and a Summerfield Scholar. He was co-valedictorian of his Lawrence High School senior class this spring. His older brother, Andrew, earned degrees in business and in liberal arts and sciences.
Lydia Katherine Young, sophomore class representative, is the daughter of Kristine Young and is a Lawrence High School graduate. At KU, she is preparing to major in education and has received the Martin Luther King Jr. award of excellence scholarship and a School of Education PriMe Scholarship for the recruitment and retention of multi-ethnic educators. She is a peer adviser for KU's Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center and works at the enrollment center in the registrar's office. Young also is active in KU's Multi-Culture Resource Team, providing outreach to new freshmen, and is a member of the Black Student Union and the NSBE National Society of Engineers.
OTTAWA COUNTY
From Minneapolis
Tiffany Dawn Lopez is a senior majoring in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and international business. She is the daughter of Virginia Lopez and is a Minneapolis High School graduate. In addition to Mortar Board, she is president of the Asian American Student Union and a vice president in her social sorority, Pi Beta Phi. Lopez is a student senator and delegate to the University Council. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, an honor society for business students.
SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka
Casie R. Olberding, a junior in education, is the daughter of Jody Olberding and is a graduate of Hayden High School. Olberding is preparing to be an elementary or middle school teacher in special education. She volunteers as a peer mentor at St. Lawrence Catholic Center. Olberding has participated in Alternative Spring Break and works in the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.
BRAZIL
From Sao Paulo
Luis Carlos Parreira is a senior majoring in computer science. He is the son of Marlene Garcia Parreira and a graduate of high school in South America. Parreira is the president of the International Student Association and was an orientation leader for International Student Orientation and a conversation leader for the Applied English Center. He is a resident assistant in Templin Hall and is an orientation assistant for KU's Office of New Student Orientation.
Traditions Night 2002
8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, Memorial Stadium
7:40 p.m.
KU Marching Band plays until approximately 8:05 p.m. under the direction of Tim Oliver
8:05 p.m.
Opening (general announcements, KU demographics, etc. )
Gloria Flores, mistress of ceremonies, associate director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center
8:10 p.m.
Welcome
Robert Hemenway, chancellor
8:30 p.m.
KU Now -- Current Traditions
Jonathan Ng, student body president
8:35 p.m.
KU Athletics
Allen Bohl, athletic director
8:50 p.m.
KU History and Traditions (Waving the Wheat, welcomes for Baby and Big Jay, will mention 5th-, 4th- and 3rd-generation students. KU Band begins to play after James Carothers speaks.)
James Carothers, interim associate vice provost, Academic Services
8:53 p.m.
KU Alumni Traditions
Jennifer Sanner, KU Alumni Association
8:57 p.m.
Passing of the Torch
9:03 p.m.
Singing Alma Mater, Fight Song, and Rock Chalk Chant
Richard Johnson, dean of students
9:05 p.m.
Closing
Gloria Flores, MC
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