Ask A Kansan

Ask A Kansan is a podcast where we're amplifying, connecting and uncovering stories across Kansas. Every week, Gus and Sydney sit down with the people who actually make this state run — museum directors and ranchers, founders and historians, zookeepers and woodcarvers. From Kansas City to Kinsley, WaKeeney to Wichita, we go where the story is. You'll leave each episode knowing something you didn't about the state we call home. It's not a history lecture and it's not a business show. It's a real conversation with a Kansan worth knowing. New episodes weekly. askakansan.com

Ask A Kansan is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Ask A Kansan, a society show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #72

  Vintage Automotive Restoration with Matthew Tyler Miller Wells | Vintage Kansas

  Aug 31, 20261h 4m

  Everyone assumes car people grew up under the hood with grandpa. This guest didn't — and he might be the best in the business anyway. On this episode, we sit down with Matthew "Matt" Miller-Wells, Associate Director of Automotive Studies at McPherson College, to talk about how a '68 Beetle and a lot of video games turned into a career restoring some of the rarest vehicles on the planet. We get into what it's really like inside the only four-year vintage automotive restoration program in the country, the wild story behind building a car museum from scratch in Salina, and how a student-restored 1953 Mercedes ended up placing second in class at Pebble Beach. Highlights Matt's automotive obsession traces back to a family '68 Volkswagen Beetle and a Herbie the Love Bug replica bought while stationed in Germany. McPherson College is the only school in the U.S. offering a four-year Bachelor of Science in Vintage Automotive Restoration Technology, started in 1976 by Smokey Blue. A feature on Jay Leno's show helped grow the program from a small two-year technical track into a full four-year degree. About 98% of McPherson grads land a job within six months of graduation, with many landing internships and offers well before commencement. Career paths extend far beyond the shop — alumni now work in insurance (Hagerty), auctions, social media/marketing, and even GM's heritage and design divisions. Matt spent five years building The Garage museum in Salina from the ground up, including VR welding/painting simulators and rotating exhibits like an all-yellow-car show. The college's "Path to Pebble" project — a student-restored 1953 Mercedes 300S Cabriolet — placed second in class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2023. McPherson is reviving its T Build Team, where students assemble a Model T from parts to a running car in minutes. The college offers numerous scholarships (including from the Model T Ford Club, SEMA, and the Piston Foundation), and over 40% of the class of '26 graduated debt-free. McPherson's annual car show (first weekend in May) draws close to 500 cars and effectively shuts down the town. Chapters 0:00 – Car Show Photos 3:30 – Meet Matt Miller-Wells 4:42 – Military Roots & Moving Around 5:60 – Falling for Volkswagens 8:10 – Starting at McPherson 9:49 – Building The Garage Museum 14:44 – Making Car Museums For All 17:04 – McPherson Program Explained 22:48 – Careers Beyond The Shop 27:27 – Bringing Back the T Build Team 31:56 – Community Support & Scholarships 33:07 – Parking Lot Rebuilds 33:38 – Car Community Support 34:16 – Scoring a Parts Haul 35:38 – Young Enthusiasts Thrive 36:11 – Scholarships and Debt 37:14 – Path to Pebble 39:14 – Concours Level Details 40:48 – Pebble Beach Triumph 42:58 – Monterey Car Week 45:25 – Program Future & Tech 47:20 – Visit and the Annual Car Show 49:05 – The Hearse and Other Projects 51:42 – Host Wrap-Up and Thanks 54:10 – Kansas Car History Segment 1:02:53 – Final Sign-Off Resources Mentioned McPherson College Automotive Restoration – Instagram (@mcautoresto) Hagerty Classic Vehicle Insurance SEMA Piston Foundation Model T Ford Club of America Newspapers.com Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com ! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

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  Episode #71

  K-State Past, Present, and Future: A Conversation with President Linton | Powercat Kansan

  Aug 24, 20261h 4m

  Kansas State University touches all 105 counties in this state — training the veterinarians who protect our livestock, the biomanufacturers building tomorrow's jobs, and the students who choose to stay and build their lives right here in Kansas. On this episode of Ask a Kansan, Gus and Sydney sit down with Dr. Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University, to talk about what it really means to lead a land-grant institution built to serve every corner of the state. We get into the mentors who shaped him, the napkin sketch that mapped out his entire career decades before he became a university president, why athletics might matter more in Manhattan, Kansas than almost anywhere else in the country, and the story of how he and his wife once snuck onto campus incognito before he ever took the job. We close out with his hopes for what Kansas and K-State will look like 100 years from now. Highlights Dr. Linton's path from food microbiology at Virginia Tech to university leadership, shaped by mentors like Dr. Merrill Pearson and Randy Woodson K-State's scale: over 21,000 degree-seeking students, three campuses (Manhattan, Salina, Olathe), and engagement across all 105 Kansas counties A breakdown of what a university president's week actually looks like — "friend-raising and fundraising" Major initiatives shaping K-State's Next Gen strategic plan: biomanufacturing, water resource management, and nuclear energy The origin and meaning of "land-grant university," and what "next-generation land-grant" means for K-State today The value of a K-State degree, explained through three numbers: 81% financial support, 97% job/grad school placement, 67% above-average starting salaries Community college partnerships (Dodge City, Garden City, Manhattan Technical College) and support for first-generation students The "brain drain" challenge — why Kansas keeps roughly 75% of in-state students but only 40–45% of out-of-state students Why athletics matters so much to K-State's economic impact ($2.3 billion total, $486 million from athletics) and student enrollment The National Agro and Biodefense Facility (NBAF) and K-State's unique BSL-4 biosecurity capabilities The story behind the $260 million agricultural initiative — raising $84 million in four months after 90% of people called the goal impossible Dr. Linton's own education story and the mentors who shaped his career How K-State's campus culture stood out to Dr. Linton and his wife before he even took the job His vision for Kansas and K-State 100 years from now Chapters 0:00 – First K-State Game Memories 0:53 – Madeline Meets Purple Pride 1:55 – Welcome to Ask a Kansan 4:44 – Meet President Rich Linton 5:24 – Mentors and Food Science Path 7:32 – From Research to Administration 11:43 – K-State Scale and Reach 14:48 – A Week in the President's Life 18:59 – Community Listening and Initiatives 21:22 – Next-Gen Land-Grant Explained 26:15 – Biomanufacturing Defined 27:39 – Value of a K-State Degree 31:59 – Community College and First-Gen Paths 33:52 – Brain Drain and Keeping Kansans 34:43 – Keeping Grads in Kansas 35:50 – Jobs and Economic Pull 36:50 – Athletics vs Academics 38:04 – Why Sports Matter 41:51 – A President as Fan 43:32 – NBAF and Biosecurity 45:42 – Next Gen K-State Plan 49:11 – Ag Initiative Fundraising 52:18 – Education and Mentorship 55:10 – K-State Culture Story 59:18 – 2126 Vision and Legacy 1:01:13 – Host Wrap and Takeaways 1:02:58 – Subscribe and Support 1:03:59 – Final Thanks and Goodbye Resources Mentioned Kansas State University Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com ! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

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  Episode #70

  Rebuilding Classrooms: Cathy Hopkins on Policy, Teachers & Change | Kansas Education

  Aug 17, 20261h 9m

  What happens when an entire education system hits a moment of collision — new leadership, new laws, and old habits all colliding at once? On this episode, we sit down with Cathy Hopkins, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, to find out. From accreditation reform to the fight over cell phones in classrooms, Cathy pulls back the curtain on what's really happening inside Kansas schools right now — and why she believes the state is at a genuine turning point. We talk through the science of reading, why cursive handwriting is making a comeback, how one small district's cell phone policy quietly cut discipline problems in half, and what it actually takes for a rural community to rally around its school. Cathy also opens up about her own path — six kids, a stint away from Kansas that only confirmed it was home, and a run for the local school board she lost by just five votes before landing on the state board altogether. Highlights Cathy represents District 5 — 44 counties across western and northern Kansas — and breaks down how Kansas's 10 board districts are drawn around student population, not geography. Kansas has nearly 500,000 K-12 students, with wildly different district sizes — from under 100 students in some rural four-day-school districts to 45,000+ in Wichita's District 8. The "science of reading" and the shift from balanced literacy to structured literacy, including a new state requirement that elementary teachers and reading specialists be trained in structured literacy by July 2028. What the State Board of Education actually does: accreditation, teacher licensure, curriculum standards, and high school graduation requirements — while emphasizing local control. KESA (Kansas Education System of Accreditation) has shifted from a compliance-driven model to a support-driven school improvement model built around four fundamentals: structured literacy, standards alignment, balanced assessments, and quality instruction. The new "bell to bell" cell phone ban law, and Cathy's on-the-ground findings from talking to districts that banned phones early — including a near 50% drop in behavior issues and a surprise uptick in library book checkouts. A "Blue Ribbon Task Force" on screens met for over a year, gathering input from legislators, teachers, parents, and students before issuing recommendations. Cursive handwriting is officially coming back into Kansas standards, tied to research on how handwriting supports reading comprehension and brain development. Community involvement stories, including the Farm to Plate initiative connecting local farmers/ranchers with school lunch programs, and a district that saw a wave of community support after clips of a board meeting went viral on social media. Cathy's call for a "better narrative" around education amid a wave of upcoming leadership changes: a new state commissioner, a new KBOR director, a new governor, and a new speaker of the house. Chapters 0:00 – 1982 Wichita Time Capsule 4:25 – Meet Cathy Hopkins 5:10 – District 5 Explained 6:27 – Kansas School Sizes 8:37 – Cathy's Kansas Roots 11:42 – Leaving and Returning Home 13:27 – Joining the State Board 16:43 – Science of Reading Shift 23:35 – Board Role and KESA 26:59 – Cell Phone Ban Debate 31:35 – Screens Task Force and Local Control 35:53 – Law Enforcement and Certification 37:21 – Four Improvement Fundamentals 38:45 – Quality Instruction vs Tech 39:15 – Handwriting and Cursive Return 41:07 – Collaboration and Action Plans 44:23 – Community Involvement Examples 49:25 – Parents as First Teachers 51:59 – Host Reflection on Education 53:22 – Kansas History: School Gossip 55:54 – 1939 Classes and Film Reels 58:59 – 1900 Gossip Column Highlights 1:03:42 – 1920 Basketball and Saturday School 1:06:27 – Best Bits and Wrap-Up Resources Mentioned Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) Newspapers.com Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com ! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

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  Episode #69

  Guiding Kansas Kids' Futures with Hanna Mick

  Aug 10, 202659 min

  What does a school counselor actually do all day — and why does it matter more now than ever? Hanna Mick is an elementary school counselor in Topeka and a part-time consultant with the Kansas State Department of Education, and she's proof that the role goes far beyond what you see on TV. From launching a peer conflict-resolution program at recess to using AI for career exploration with kids as young as third grade, Hannah is redefining what it means to support students. She's also the Kansas School Counselor of the Year and a finalist for the national title — not that she got into education for the awards. This conversation will make you wish you'd had a counselor like her growing up. Highlights The difference between a "guidance counselor" and a school counselor — and why it matters Hanna's unexpected path from advertising to education (a soul-searching pivot she's never regretted) The Junior Coaches program: how sixth graders helping second graders at recess reduced office discipline referrals by 71–77% for some students Why by third grade, kids have already begun limiting their career ambitions based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status — and what counselors can do about it Using a school-approved AI tool to help students discover careers they never knew existed (e-sports manager, anyone?) Road Trip Nation: a free AI-informed platform that helps students cut through the "noise" and find their path The "two I's" framework for thinking about AI in schools: intention and impact Why teaching kids what cheating actually is in the age of AI is harder than it sounds Piper the therapy dog, the Paws and Claws project-based learning group, and a Humane Society partnership built by third graders Dartography debuts! Gus introduces a new segment using a dart and a cork-board Kansas map Chapters 0:00 – Stadium Renderings 2:06 – Podcast Intro: Education Month 2:42 – Meet Hanna Mick 4:09 – Kansas Roots and K-State 4:49 – From Advertising to Counseling 8:16 – What School Counselors Do 11:04 – Junior Coaches Recess Program 15:53 – Counselor of the Year Mindset 18:13 – AI in Schools: Basics 21:25 – Teaching AI Literacy and Cheating 28:08 – Therapy Dogs: Piper and Pickles 29:35 – Paws and Claws Project Learning 30:45 – Frontloading Expectations 31:20 – Piper Costume Project 32:00 – Humane Society Partnership 33:35 – Career Bias by Third Grade 36:15 – AI Career Discovery 40:41 – Road Trip Nation Tool 41:58 – Counselor of the Year (National) 46:08 – Post-Interview Reflections 46:58 – Dartography Segment Begins 50:05 – Cimarron County Seat Gunfight 51:33 – Sewell's Folly Canal 53:02 – Ingalls Name Connections & Laura Ingalls Wilder 55:57 – Dart Throw Results 57:53 – Episode Wrap-Up Resources Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) Conscious Discipline – Dr. Becky Bailey's podcast Character Strong Hanna Mick's website Road Trip Nation Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com ! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

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  Episode #68

  Strumming Success with Matt Gerry | Rocking Kansas

  Aug 3, 202643 min

  Do kids even want to learn a skill like playing the guitar? This week we sit down with Matt Gerry, the guitar and music teacher at South Middle School in Salina, whose 24-year journey has taken him everywhere from a Weezer-sponsored trip to Chicago to a Radio Disney commercial — and even a Grammy Music Educator Award nomination. Before we get to Matt, Sydney shares a heartwarming (and a little ironic) story about a Kansan TikToker helping out a fellow Kansan stranded far from home, and Gus reminisces about the Hanks and Joshes of the world who keep our cars running. Then Matt takes us through how he fell in love with guitar via his dad's old Gibson, built a guitar program from scratch against school-system red tape, won contests with Weezer and Mozart-inspired performances, got his students backstage with Collective Soul, and shared the stage with his own wife and daughter in Theatre Salina's School of Rock. Highlights: A Kansan TikToker (Weston, from Winfield) pulls over to help a stranded fellow Kansan in Colorado — without realizing it at first Matt Gerry shares how he fell in love with guitar playing his dad's Gibson from Kalamazoo, Michigan while performing in a school production of Grease The step-by-step story of building South Middle School's guitar program — from a grant-funded classroom set of guitars in 2003 to a dedicated guitar class in 2010, now serving 250 students a year Winning a Weezer video contest that led to a trip to Chicago and new classroom instruments Winning the Midwest region of a Mozart-themed contest, earning $7,500 for new guitars, followed by a Radio Disney Channel visit and commercial shoot Matt's involvement with the Stiefel Theatre's School of Music and getting students backstage with bands like Collective Soul Sharing the stage with his wife and daughter in Theatre Salina's production of School of Rock Being nominated for the Grammy Music Educator Award and making the quarterfinals Why Matt believes learning guitar in a group setting beats learning solo from YouTube Matt's big goal: becoming a clinician who trains other guitar teachers A nostalgic tangent about Salina radio stations, Weird Al Yankovic fan mail, and shared music memories from middle school Chapters: 0:00 – Scrolling TikTok Finds Weston 0:45 – Kansans Helping Kansans 2:32 – Brake Pads and Hank Stories 3:23 – Ask a Kansan Intro 4:52 – Meet Music Teacher Matt 6:04 – How Matt Found Guitar 7:42 – Choosing Music Education 9:04 – First Classroom Memories 11:47 – Building a Guitar Program 14:07 – Why Guitar Hooks Students 18:06 – Weezer Contest Goes Viral 19:30 – Fame and Disney Tease 20:16 – Mozart Contest Win 20:51 – Disney Channel Visit 21:42 – Family Support Grounding 22:18 – Stiefel Music School 24:03 – School of Rock Family 25:01 – Awards and Humility 25:52 – Church Music and Benefits 27:40 – Middle School Mindset 28:47 – Guitar Program Expansion 31:38 – Big Goals and Training 34:01 – Radio Nostalgia Tangent 35:41 – Teaching Dream Job 37:31 – Stories from a Hat Twist 42:22 – Episode Wrap and Merch Resources Mentioned: Salina Education Foundation: https://www.salinaeducationfoundation.com/ Teaching Guitar Workshops: https://teachingguitarworkshops.org/ Stiefel Theatre: https://www.stiefeltheatre.org/ KMEA (Kansas Music Educators Association): https://ksmea.org/ Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com ! This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net

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