SALINA, Kan. - Kansas Wesleyan and Kansas State University Salina announced Tuesday that they will partner to provide flyovers at designated Kansas Wesleyan home football games, beginning with Aug. 30's season opener. The flyovers will be provided by K-State Salina and provide an opportunity for Wildcat student pilots to gain experience, all while KWU boosts its game-day experience.
"This is a great example of community collaboration," said Miguel Paredes, Kansas Wesleyan athletic director. "It highlights both the strong relationship between our institutions and showcases how truly special this city is, by lifting up both of our universities. We look forward to the partnership that brings together innovation for the student and game-day experience and community pride."
The flyovers will be conducted by representatives from K-State Salina - including students -with aircraft for the opener, including a Piper Seminole leading and a Beechcraft Bonanza on the wing.
"We're thrilled to partner with Kansas Wesleyan University in this unique way," said Tysen Pina, Aviation Department head at K-State Salina. "Their championship-level athletics program embodies the same values of teamwork, discipline and excellence that we strive to instill in our flight team. I hope this small step becomes the foundation for even greater collaboration between our institutions to the benefit of our students and the entire Salina community."
In addition to the season opener, flyovers will take place at games during Family Weekend (Sept. 27), Homecoming (Oct. 25) and the regular season finale (Nov. 15). Discussions are ongoing regarding adding flyovers at other contests throughout the fall season, including men's and women's soccer matches, and such additions are likely.
For more information on KWU Athletics, please visit KWUCoyotes.com. For additional information on Kansas State University Salina, please visit salina.k-state.edu.
ABOUT KWU: Kansas Wesleyan University is a private, nonprofit four-year college in Salina, Kan., founded in 1886 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its mission is to promote and integrate academic excellence, spiritual development, personal well-being and social responsibility. KWU provides an educational program characterized by excellence, within a caring community, rooted in the liberal arts tradition, that includes 16 academic departments and a wide range of majors. KWU's Music program and DECA team have been especially successful, with DECA winning multiple world championships and graduates of the Music program securing positions all over the U.S. The Athletic Department has captured three straight KCAC Commissioner's Cups and recorded a cumulative GPA in excess of 3.0 for the past three years. For more information, visit www.kwu.edu.