Ray Clithero
BENDER OF TWIGS INDUCTEE 2019
The first thing you need to know and appreciate about Ray Clithero is that he is a
Renaissance man. Want to know about some obscure battle from the Civil War? Ask Ray.
Want to know what kind of transmission the Buick Enclave has compared to a Toyota
Tundra? Ask Ray. Want to know salient facts about a 20th century absurdist playwright?
Ask Ray. Want to know what political platform a candidate running for recorder of
deeds has? Ask Ray. Want to discuss existential philosophy in comparison to Aristotle?
Ray’s your man. My career has given me the opportunity to engage many, many people
of high intelligence and lofty academic credentials. Few of them surpass Ray in the
breadth and depth of their knowledge. He is, indeed, a true Renaissance man.
The second thing you need to know and appreciate about Ray is that he is exceptionally loyal – to Wichita, to Wichita State, to the College of Fine Arts, and to the people with whom he works. This is especially true of those whom he supervises. He is from Wichita, and he went to Wichita State, and he was a theatre major at WSU. And his loyalty to those institutions is exemplary. In particular, his concern for the student workers he employs is noteworthy. One telling fact regarding his skill as a supervisor is that there is very little turnover among his employees. Three that are currently in place have been in place for years, even decades. One has even returned to a position. Supervisors rarely have the kind of loyalty Ray commands unless they treat their workers with empathy and respect.
The third, and most important thing you need to know and appreciate about Ray is that he is a good man. He is honest, he is discerning, he is creative, he has a sense of humor that brings out the best in others, he is determined, and he is so much more that goes into that simple phrase. He is someone others want to be around. He has been, in his way, one of the most vital employees that WSU hired twenty-five years ago. He has truly bent many a twig in those years and, God willing, will continue doing the good work for many years to come. We are truly fortunate to have him here. And I am fortunate to call him my friend.
Rodney E. Miller
Dean
College of Fine Arts
SME: SP/SRAP
Updated: 11/21/2019 SRAP