To the editor:

As our family gathered at my daughter’s home in North Carolina for Thanksgiving, I was taken by the stories of our adult children. It was a delight to see my daughter again and hear her tales of working as a doctor in an African clinic, while our son told us about his life in New York City. They also shared their stories of their “football playing” Jayhawks, knowing much more about their success than their parents who attended the games. On the trip home, my wife and I took pride in the accomplishments of our “kids” and were impressed by the way their education at the University of Kansas prepared them for life in a complicated world. Although they may never live in Kansas again, they are Kansans, proud of it, and willing to share their Kansas with others.

I am proud and thankful for the success of my children. Their success is the result of the state of Kansas taking a leadership role in the task of making our world a better place to live and of KU taking risks to expand artificially drawn boundaries in academics, medicine and athletics to prepare people to have a positive impact on the world.

I am a Missourian by birth, but a KANSAN by choice.

Ray Hummert,

Lawrence