Our top 10 At K-State stories of 2025
Happy New Year, Wildcats!
2025 was another great year at the K-State Alumni Association, as we connected with
alumni and friends and shared stories of K-Staters making an impact on campus and
in their communities.
As we close out the year, here is a recap of the top 10 most visited articles on our
At K-State news site in 2025. We look forward to sharing more Wildcat stories in 2026!
10. K-Staters Cody Hanna and Kennady King help create game day magic with their fireworks business
When it comes to K-State football game days, Cody Hanna ’22 and Kennady King ’21 have
enjoyed some of the best seats in the house. They aren’t just watching the game in
Bill Snyder Family Stadium — they’ve actually had an opportunity to be a part of the
action by creating fireworks shows for the fans.
Hanna and King operate Victory Pyrotechnics and Special Effects, a Wichita, Kansas-based
company that specializes in custom-designed fireworks displays. In addition to K-State
game days, their work has included the Wichita Riverfest finale and other community
displays across the state. READ MORE
9. New leaders assume their roles on K-State Alumni Association board of directors
We're excited to welcome a new team of leaders to the K-State Alumni Association board of directors as we seek to reach, connect and serve all members of our K-State community. Get to know the Wildcats serving on our board for 2025-2026. READ MORE
8. K-State Alumni Association announces updates to staff
It takes a full team of staff members working behind the scenes to make the mission of the K-State Alumni Association happen! Here are some of the staff updates we shared this summer. READ MORE
7. Photo gallery: K-Staters spread purple pride at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic
In August, 11,000 K-State fans made the journey to Dublin, Ireland, to watch the Wildcat
football team take the field at Aviva Stadium for a once-in-a-lifetime game day experience.
While the ’Cats did not take home the trophy from the Aer Lingus College Football
Classic, K-Staters returned with special memories they will never forget.
Here are some of our favorite photos from the trip to Ireland, including K-Staters
visiting sites around Dublin, to the pub crawl, and more. READ MORE
6. Director of bands Frank Tracz reflects on his 30+ years at K-State
“Leave it better than you found it.”
That’s the philosophy Frank Tracz has worked so hard to instill in every one of the
students he’s mentored during his 30+ years with the K-State Marching Band.
And it’s an achievement he has unquestionably accomplished with the university’s marching
band program itself, as he prepares to retire at the end of this season. READ MORE
5. How K-State Athletics is getting ready to paint Ireland purple for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic
Members of the K-State football team prepared to travel a bit farther than normal
for their first away game of the season — make that about 4,000 miles, the distance
from Manhattan, Kansas, to Dublin, Ireland.
Prior to the game this August, we caught up with several K-State Athletics staff members
to learn more about how the ’Cats are prepping for this game day overseas. READ MORE
4. Top 5 things to do in Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic
In anticipation of the game, we shared tips for those traveling. These were our top 5 picks for things to do in Dublin! READ MORE
3. Lost and found: K-State class ring discovered in pipe and returned to owner after nearly 30 years
At the K-State Alumni Association, we’re proud of keeping K-Staters connected to their
alma mater — and sometimes, that means doing a little detective work.
Louis Fender, assistant superintendent with the City of Kerrville, Texas, Wastewater
Collections, recently contacted the K-State Alumni Association after some of the city
employees discovered a K-State class ring in Kerrville’s pipe system. READ MORE
2. Wichita man behind viral mowing videos is a K-Stater
In August of 2021 Spencer B. ’21 started posting videos of his Wichita, Kansas, based
mowing projects on social media.
“I was pretty addicted to YouTube,” he said. “I made my videos around what I liked
to watch.”
It took off from there. Almost four years later, he’s now a full-time content creator
making ASMR videos, which stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, featuring
mowing and pressure washing across multiple platforms. READ MORE
1. Sweet success: Reflecting on the Call Hall Dairy Bar’s legacy on campus as the facility prepares for move
Blueberry cheesecake. Butter pecan. Chocolate chip mint. Cookies and cream. Peanut
butter cup. Or, of course, the famous “Purple Pride.”
When it comes to picking a favorite flavor of ice cream at K-State’s Call Hall Dairy
Bar, there certainly isn’t a shortage of options to choose from. The on-campus Dairy
Processing Plant produces more than 40 flavors, including special seasonal varieties
as well as the classics: vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. READ MORE