Kansas State, established in 1883, embraces tradition and the people that make the place flourish.
“On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Act, which allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in eligible U.S. territories,” according to the K-State alumni association website. “On Feb. 16, 1863, Bluemont Central College in Manhattan, Kansas, became Kansas State Agricultural College, the first operational school created under the Morrill Act. The university, now known as Kansas State University, continues to thrive.”
Many faculty have seen K-State expand over the years, but something special remains in the people of K-State and the opportunities each day brings. Dr. Frank Tracz explains his journey to upholding lasting traditions and create a life for himself in Manhattan.
“It’s the people that are here that make K-State special,” Tracz said. “When I got here, there were other opportunities for me to go to other established places and make more money to be honest with you. … And I looked at those but every other school didn’t have John Wefald as president, didn’t have Pat Bosco as vice president, and it didn’t have Amy Renz in charge of the alumni association, and they definitely didn’t have a Bill Snyder as a football coach. None of them had that. And so there’s a value to that, that you can’t put a number on. When all of it is in the same place, at the same time, with the same vision and same goal, you realize you’re not going to find this anywhere else.”
Traditions for K-State go beyond Homecoming week and the parade; there are a plethora of traditions each Wildcat remembers. From the Wabash Cannonball to shaking keys during “Proud of the House We Built” by Brooks & Dunn at football games, K-State traditions are imperative to the culture of the Little Apple.
“Traditions like the Wabash Cannonball, the Happy Trails song, traditions like the fight songs and meeting the team at 5 a.m. Those things weren’t planned, they just happened,” Tracz said. “They happened at the right place at the right time for the right reason, with the right circumstances, you know, the moons, the stars and the gods aligned and you just can’t plan for that. It just happens but you gotta be there and you gotta be ready to pounce.”
Traditions evolve, with waves of new students coming in each year, traditions change and are interpreted differently by everyone. However, every Wildcat is bonded by one common theme.
“Tradition means here that people care,” Tracz said. “People pay enough attention, they care, they’re invested in it. They enjoy it, they like it, they love it and they respect it. It’s the atmosphere at K-State which is different from other schools. It [tradition] has to be from the heart and soul. And they’ve [K-State] started a ton of traditions over the years and there’ll be a ton more. It’s not done yet, it’s gonna continue, which is a cool thing.”
