Rockhurst News

Wednesday, Sept. 6, will be the first official Rockhurst Night at Kauffman Stadium, complete with a tailgate, a custom RU/Royals jersey for those purchased special tickets, and a night at the historic Kauffman Stadium watching the Royals alongside fellow Hawks.

For Rockhurst University President Sandra Cassady, Ph.D., it’ll also mean getting out on the field, at least for pregame activities. With the focus on RU for the night, it only made sense for someone from the University to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Cassady got the first call. It was not a hard decision.

Kansas City has had a fair amount of time in the national spotlight lately.

There are a lot of reasons for that — many of them, admittedly, sports-related. But Kansas City is also a vibrant, attractive place because of the people here committed to doing new, creative things.

Every name. Every stat. Every game. Every date.

Ask Dominique Washington, ’16, former Hawks basketball player and director of the MAC, a question about his experience playing basketball growing up, and recalling specifics is like second nature.

Since the 1950s, the small, paved area on the northeast corner of the quad has served a lot of functions.

Established as a home for a statue of Mary donated by the class of 1954, over the years this site has served as both a social and spiritual hub, a place for students, faculty staff and visitors to visit with each other during down time, to study between classes, or sit or stop for a quiet moment of reflection.

Filmmaker Chad Sogas, '03, had a rat tail for 10 years growing up. It was so much a part of his history that he decided to make a film about it, but the film uncovered something he kept hidden for years.

Sogas is now an editor/director in the advertising industry in Brooklyn, New York. He created the film “Rat Tail” and it has won a hoard of awards and been shown at the two biggest film festivals in North America – Hot Docs & DOC NYC. However, his biggest accomplishment is the change he was able to make in himself.

Ashley Neybert was taught at a young age that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. This critical lesson followed her as she faced unimaginable challenges during her college career.

Two friends who met while theatre students at Rockhurst are now bakers in St. Louis, specializing in pretzels, pies, brownies, cheesecakes, cookies, bagels, coffee, etc.

That “etcetera” will be key to their story later. 

Rockhurst University and Hawks soccer has gone international as five former men’s soccer players created a school in their native Italy, providing educational and athletic training for international college athletes.

If the walls of Conway Hall could talk, they’d probably be laughing.

Richard “Dick” Shaw is one of the most beloved and entertaining professors to ever teach at Rockhurst. You don’t meet Dick Shaw and walk away without a story and a smile, and now the retired teacher of 43 years is sharing those with a wider audience.

Shaw released his first book, "Tales from the Professor: Life is a Hoot!," in March through Amazon.

When Greg Nicholas ('97, '00) and Amy Essner ('98, '01) met at Rockhurst as undergrads, little did they know how their lives would change…and how many kids’ lives around the world they’d change together.

After completing their undergraduate degrees, the two finished physical therapy school at Rockhurst and got married. They've spent a life in service ever since, though selflessness has always been a part of who they are.

“That’s why we chose RU,” Amy said. “The values we got from Rockhurst deepened that need for service.”