By Zach Hacker zach @ emporia . com

By Jessie Wagoner jessie @ emporia . com

More than 1,000 students will participate in commencement ceremonies at Emporia State University Saturday .

Undergraduate commencement begins at 9:30 a . m . at William L . White Auditorium . Graduate ceremonies begin at 2 p . m . in Albert Taylor Hall in Plumb Hall on the ESU campus .

Ashlea Chapman , known for her involvement on campus and her dedication to her studies , will be one of those graduates . Chapman , originally from Atchison , graduates Saturday after eight semesters at ESU . She will receive her diploma and depart from ESU absolutely debt-free .

“ I had to take out a couple of student loans , but I paid them off as I went so I ’ ll graduate without any debt ,” Chapman said .

In 2014 , students graduating from college in Kansas averaged $ 25,521 in student loan debt . Chapman managed to avoid being saddled with debt by working throughout her time at ESU .

“ I worked at the Union the entire time I went to college , for the ID office ,” Chapman said . “ I interned there with a college prep program the summer before I started school here . So I ’ ve been there since Day 1 — since I got here . Aside from scholarships , I mostly just worked all the way through . I also worked at home whenever I went back for breaks , at my local Subway ( I have worked there since I was in high school ) on top of working here in the Union .”

Being a diligent student also paid off for Chapman as she was awarded numerous scholarships .

Undergraduate commencement

9:30 a . m . at William L . White Auditorium

Graduate commencement

2 p . m . at Albert Taylor Hall in Plumb Hall on ESU campus

For more about commencement , including a link to live streaming , go to emporia . edu / commencement .

She had scholarships from ESU , her hometown and two renewable scholarships : The Hagan Scholarship Foundation and the Ellis Foundation . The Hagan Scholarship helps high-achieving rural students and the Ellis Foundation , which helps high school seniors , also comes with a mentoring program .

She serves as vice president for the Student Honors Council in the Honors College and is the social chair for the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society ( Tri-Beta ). She ’ s also a part of TRIO support service and is in

Courtesy photo

Kappa Mu Epsilon , the honor society for mathematics . Chapman also was the section leader in the marching band color guard this year . As union tech , she assisted speakers and conferences .

“ I try to be a little bit all over the place ,” Chapman said , with a laugh . “ I ’ ve just met so many people so it ’ s nice that because of all the little things that I was tied into , I can walk somewhere and always see somebody that I know .”

Those connections include serving as a mentor to other students at ESU . Chapman began mentoring other students through the Ellis Foundation . Because of that experience , she encouraged the Honors College to do more student mentoring . Now , she mentors through it as well . Student mentoring involves helping other students succeed .

“ The first half of the semester we ’ re just there , so they have someone to come to so they feel comfortable ,” Chapman said . “ I can help them through the parts where I was a stumbling freshman . It makes it easier for them

Please see Graduation , Page 3

Susan Fowler of Emporia officially filed Wednesday to become a candidate for the 17th District State Senate seat that is up for election

Fowler in November .

Fowler — a Democrat who announced her plans to seek election in February — is set to run against Republican incumbent Jeff Longbine , also of Emporia . The 17th District includes Lyon County and parts of Geary , Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties . A lifelong Kansan , Fowler has previously run for the Kansas House of Representatives 76th District seat in both 2006 and 2010 . In both of those races , she was defeated by Republican Peggy Mast .

Still , the chair of the Lyon County Democratic Party since 2008 and chair of the Kansas Democratic Caucus since 2013 believes 2016 is a great time to get back in the race .

“ I know in 2014 ( Democratic gubernatorial candidate ) Paul Davis carried Lyon County ,” Fowler said . “ That tells me that the people in our district are perceptive . It ’ s basically 50 / 50 in our district .

“ Lyon County was red and we turned it blue . I ’ m very proud of that .”

Fowler , an information management consultant who runs her own business , is married to Bob Grover and lives in her grandparents ’ former home on farmland that has been in the family since 1855 . She was compelled to be a part of the changes she feels are needed in To-

Please see Fowler , Page 3

By Jessie Wagoner jessie @ emporia . com

Use of the Lyon County Fairgrounds is increasing .

Lyon County Commissioners received a report from fairgrounds manager Sam Seeley on fairgrounds usage during the regularly scheduled commission meeting on Thursday morning .

In 2016 , the fairgrounds , the Anderson Building and the Bowyer Community Building have been booked for 372 days of activities . Since there are two buildings and the fairgrounds to choose from , the days of use does exceed 365 ; there are frequently multiple events scheduled on the same day . There are already 194 days booked for 2017 .

“ I went back to 2012 and our low was 314 days that the buildings were booked for something to as many as 388 days ,” Seeley said .

Seeley provided usage reports from 2012 through what is booked for 2017 . There was a slight decrease in usage while the Anderson building was constructed in 2015 . Overall , usage has increased each year .

“ You can see an increase each year in the usage of both buildings ,” Seeley said .

The types of events held at the fairgrounds vary from youth events , profit and nonprofit activities , private and free events . Seeley said this year , four high schools held their proms at the Bowyer Community building . There has also been an increase in other communities scheduling events at the fairgrounds as a result of the quality facilities .

“ There has been an increase in community use ,” Seeley said . “ We are using the buildings more across the board . If the city wants to use it , we work with the city to use it ; if the

Jessie Wagoner / Gazette

Usage of the Lyon County Fairgrounds has increased over the last five years . More than 200 events have been held at the Anderson Building in 2016 .

VOL . 124 , NO . 270 state wants to use it , we work with them . This year we held four proms at the Bowyer building , we give a nice venue for kids to come to so they aren ’ t driving to Wichita or Topeka for a venue . They are coming to Emporia .”

There has been an increase in paid events held at the fairgrounds , however , Lyon County Attorney Marc Goodman pointed out that the purpose of the buildings is a quality of life issue for county citizens and was never to make a profit .

“ These are community buildings , for the community ,” Goodman said . “ The government provides some things for the people . They are a quality of life issue … the community has pride in them .”

In other business , the commission approved a request from James Moore for an additional entrance culvert to be installed on a paved road located at 25 Locust Lane for a circle driveway . Moore will pay for the expense of the installation and the county will maintain it .

Anderson Building Bowyer Community Building Fairgrounds

Extension Fair Board Government Non-Profit Profit Youth Free