Pillar #1 Forever Washburn | Buildings and Optimizing Spaces
By KIM GRONNIGER
Forever Washburn plans to invest $65 million in contributions toward new and repurposed campus structures to build community through optimized spaces. Three major projects reflect the university’s intentions: Advisors Excel Hall, Lee Arena and the Washburn University School of Law.
ADVISORS EXCEL HALL
Advisors Excel, an independent marketing organization for financial professionals, is led by founders Cody Foster and David Callanan, both Washburn University alums.
Foster said the company’s decision to make a lead gift to renovate Henderson Learning Resources Center was out of a desire to attract talented students to the company and the community. Its strategic alliance with the university is a homegrown success story: eight of its 13 senior executives graduated from Washburn.
Henderson Learning Resources Center will be renamed Advisors Excel Hall, which Foster said will increase familiarity with the company’s brand and assist in recruiting new employees.
“During the past few years, people have started to realize that the success and growth of the university and Topeka are linked,” Foster said. “We’d like to see Washburn double in size. If you look at things happening in this community, many of the people doing the work have ties to the university.”
Given the vitality of Topeka’s business community and capital city status, Foster said Washburn University has the potential to be one of the best business schools in the state for students who want to get a good job after graduation — not only because of their education, but also because of the connections they can make with companies and government agencies while they’re still in school.
“No other business program has this much access to future employers except for Wichita State University,” Foster said. “Washburn and the Topeka business community locking arms will lead to greater growth for both.”
Security Benefit sponsored the atrium for Advisors Excel Hall.
Security Benefit’s CEO Doug Wolff said the company has been a long-time supporter of Washburn University. They’ve hired many of its graduates and have “a successful and strategic partnership with Advisors Excel” to help people save for retirement.
“Our investment in this project complements our philanthropic commitment to education and our passion for workforce development,” he said. “The new classrooms and collaborative spaces will encourage engagement and creative problem-solving to prepare students for career success in constantly evolving industries, including ours.”
LEE ARENA
The Capitol Federal Foundation has partnered with Washburn University on several projects over the years — the Living Learning Center, Stoffer Science Hall, the 150th anniversary campaign and the Leadership Challenge Event — but more recently, it’s the university’s athletic programs that resonate with the company.
Capitol Federal’s $1 million gift to renovate Lee Arena follows sizable contributions to refurbish Whiting Fieldhouse, upgrade the Gahnstrom Field softball complex and build an indoor athletic facility for track, field and football training.
Phase One of the Lee Arena project, unveiled in November 2024, involved creating the CapFed Champions Suite on the north end of the court. The suite features comfortable seating for watching basketball or volleyball games, a dining area and an upper-level viewing deck.
Tammy Dishman, president of the Capitol Federal Foundation, said the new space will also be used for meetings and special events.
“We have a long history with Washburn and have developed strong relationships with former president Jerry Farley and current president JuliAnn Mazachek, as well as special relationships with coaches and students through our annual scholarship program,” she said. “Each year we award eight scholarships and attend a luncheon where our trustees and university representatives meet the athletes, who are always so grateful for the support.”
Dishman said education is a focal point of the Capitol Federal Foundation. Since the company is headquartered in Topeka, its investment in the hometown university benefits customers and Washburn supporters.
“Washburn academics and athletics have been a great fit for us as opportunities have continued to evolve,” she said. “We’ve received many thank yous for our financial support.”
Dishman is heartened by the 2024 increase in freshman enrollment, as well as the university’s transition over the years from a largely commuter school to one where students from across the state and country are seeking an education.
“It’s so important for Topeka to have a robust university and we’re glad to play a role in continuing the momentum,” she said.
WASHBURN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
Wichita native Jennifer Sourk had a couple of high school mentors who inspired her to pursue a legal career. When Washburn University offered the highest scholarship, she moved to Topeka, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in 2002, a juris doctorate in 2005 and an MBA in 2008.
Sourk, now general corporate counsel for Midwest Health and a vice chair of the Washburn Board of Regents, had contemplated pursuing her legal education elsewhere. She visited several schools that offered modernized spaces and better amenities than Washburn School of Law. Although the former law school “lacked the grandeur the new building has,” Sourk stayed with her alma mater.
Scholarships, location and other factors influence which law school a person chooses, but Sourk said amenities also play a role. A donor, she praised the new building’s classrooms, study spaces and convenient integration of the onsite Washburn Law Clinic, providing students with real-world experience and easier access for student and faculty interaction.
Noting that the Washburn School of Law is often the first thing people learn about the university, Sourk said, “The pride we take in adapting campus buildings to students and their evolving needs is so important. Environmental factors are also essential for recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty. The new law school offices are beautiful and much different than the small, dark spaces faculty had in the old building.”
During her law school years, Sourk clerked for a local attorney and built a network that made Topeka an easy career choice after graduation.
“I did my due diligence and checked out other markets, but after spending so many years in Topeka, the city became my preference because I had already put down roots and had access to so many opportunities,” she said.
Sourk said the new building — in conjunction with the university’s program that allows undergraduates to forego their senior year and start law school earlier — should encourage more enrollment for both undergraduate degrees and juris doctorates.
“Kansas has a shortage of rural lawyers and being able to reduce the financial burden and the time spent in school makes it more attractive for people considering a legal career,” she said. “And once they complete their studies, they will choose to stay in Kansas and serve their community, just as I did.”
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