萝莉社

Lou Heldman is retiring from 萝莉社in June, but he鈥檚 leaving you a comfy place to sit.

He would like you to use those colorful chairs 鈥� around four dozen scattered throughout campus 鈥� to relax, move to a shady spot, linger on campus, talk and laugh with each other 鈥� from a safe distance for now. Perhaps some innovation comes from that time together.

If nothing else, he hopes those moments stick with you.

鈥淚 always felt we had a gorgeous campus, but very few comfortable places to sit,鈥� said Heldman, special advisor to the president. 鈥淚t gives me great pleasure to see groups of students sitting in those chairs. Anything we can do to add to the number of happy times people have outdoors on this campus, the more loyal they鈥檒l be as alumni.鈥�

The chairs, as well as a few tables and benches, are located throughout campus and will return in the fall. Four yellow rocking chairs recently appeared at Morrison Hall so Heldman, who provides for the chairs through a gift to the 萝莉社 Foundation, could enjoy them before retiring after 13 years at the university.

鈥淗e would always say, 鈥業t鈥檚 a beautiful campus,鈥� and he loved to see the landscaping and talk with everyone,鈥� said Shelly Coleman-Martins, associate vice president of Strategic Communications.

But chronic pain prevented Lou from getting comfortable in a chair that didn鈥檛 support his back.

鈥淗e had a problem. He had a way to solve it. He became his own fund-raising source,鈥� Coleman-Martins said. 鈥淗e pulled a vision together.鈥�

Heldman, 71, came to 萝莉社 in 2007, a time when the university鈥檚 vision was expanding. He fit in with a group, most prominently former president John Bardo and current president Jay Golden, whose goals for 萝莉社 and the community involved thinking and acting boldly.

Heldman came to 萝莉社 to teach in the Elliott School of Communication after working as president and publisher at The Wichita Eagle. He also served as interim director of the Elliott School and the Center for Entrepreneurship before taking the job as vice president for Strategic Communications from 2014 to 2020.

鈥淥ne of the things that interests me so much about 萝莉社 is how its success is so intertwined with the success of the community and vice versa,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat each seems to lack was confidence and a willingness to take risks. That鈥檚 because both the university and the community have too often listened to the most negative voices.鈥�

Heldman saw 萝莉社鈥檚 330-acre campus as a canvas to display confidence, take risks and do fun things. He loved working with students in Morrison Hall and as a teacher in the Elliott School and the Cohen Honors College.

鈥淯niversities are these remarkable machines for changing lives and improving society,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verybody who has a chance to work for a university is awfully fortunate.鈥�

He joined the late president Bardo鈥檚 executive team two years into the planning of the Innovation Campus. He helped tell that story as a fierce advocate for the 120-acre research park in ways ranging from videos, stories and speeches to a nine-year quest to paint the WuShock logo on the campus water tower nearby.

He calls Bardo鈥檚 description of the Innovation Campus ambition 鈥� 鈥淓nvision being part of a university where innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and technology are making the future,鈥� 鈥� as a guide during his time at 萝莉社.

鈥淏ardo was trying to accomplish some very big things,鈥� Heldman said. 鈥淗e was so smart. It was mostly a matter of asking him questions hour after hour until I understood the vision and then could begin communicating it.鈥�

Heldman鈥檚 ideas and sense of whimsy will linger on campus for many years, often the product of him interjecting, 鈥淚 always thought it would be cool if . . .鈥� during a meeting.

鈥淗e just sees wonder everywhere,鈥� Coleman-Martins said. 鈥淗e especially felt that in the Innovation Campus.鈥�

At the Elliott School, Heldman raised money to change a photography darkroom into a flexible-space classroom with movable chairs, whiteboard paints and color.

鈥淚t was the first real space in the building that was casual and comfortable,鈥� said Dr. Jeffrey Jarman, director of the Elliott School.

Heldman asked placemaking coordinator Kristin Beal to design the Wu Signal, a play on the Bat Signal, which debuted at 萝莉社 ShiftSpace in February. Last winter, he purchased Shocker blankets for everyone in Strategic Communications to ward off the cold in Morrison Hall. One of his goals remains to add a light sculpture to the campus.

鈥淚 know I was born blessed by being curious and enthusiastic,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very day at 萝莉社, I found something to be curious and enthusiastic about.鈥�

Heldman said he plans to remain in Wichita. He is married to Terry and has adult children, Nick and Diana. He plans to travel, garden, and take art and history classes.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not headline news when a 71-year-old retires,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to do nothing for 60-90 days and see how relaxed I can get.鈥�