Graduation Stories 2008

On Sunday, May 18, thousands of students will make the traditional march down Mount Oread from Memorial Drive, through the campanile and into Memorial Stadium. Here are some of the faces you will see in the procession and their interesting stories:

For indigenous nations scholar, law school beckons

Growing up as a member of the Kansas Kickapoo Nation in Horton, Mandy Cisneros took the challenges facing her tribe to heart. She resolved to use her education to benefit the Kansas Kickapoo — and this ambition has led Cisneros to New Mexico, Capitol Hill and back home to Kansas.

KU engineering student earns distinction as Haskell transfer

As a high school student in Tahlequah, Okla., Kristin Danielson, whose heritage includes Jemez Pueblo and Cherokee, never considered college.

Ph.D. at 23

Portillo will earn her doctorate in public administration from KU this month and is headed to George Mason University to take a tenure-track position on the faculty of the Administration of Justice Department.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.