Jennifer WrightEleven years of military service 鈥� check; 21 years of nursing 鈥� check; 13 states 鈥� check; pursuing lifelong passion for art and drawing at WSU 鈥� priceless.
鈥淚鈥檝e always had a passion for drawing,鈥� said senior Anthony Walton. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meditative to me when I get into the drawing zone. It鈥檚 also rewarding to see people鈥檚 expressions when they see my artwork or to hear them chuckle.鈥�
To say that Walton is a nontraditional student is an understatement.
鈥淚 am a non nontraditional student,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 get involved in what is going on on campus and what the student government is doing.鈥�
Walton, 46, is president of the Native American Student Association. He also is a member of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and is a contributing cartoonist for The Sunflower, the campus newspaper.
At WSU, Walton is embracing the complete college experience. As an art education major, he brings to class a world of experience from serving in the U.S. Army and traveling the country working as a nurse.
Born in El Paso, Texas, Walton spent most of his youth in Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. The oldest of three children, Walton said his father also served in the military. His family lived in several states before settling in Ft. Leavenworth when his father left to serve in Vietnam.
After graduating from Leavenworth High School, Walton enlisted in the Army and served four years. When he returned to Kansas, he studied nursing at a vocational school and earned a licensed practical nurse certificate in 1987.
The next several years, Walton moved from state to state working as a nurse and did other odd jobs.
He returned to Kansas in 1996, married his high school sweetheart and enlisted in the Army National Guard.
In 2001, he was called to active duty and served as a combat medic in different locations in support of troops in Afghanistan. He was discharged in 2003.
Walton resumed his college education at Butler Community College in 2006. While there, he earned an award from the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press for his cartoons published by The Lantern, the BCC student newspaper.
It was at the KACP awards ceremony that Walton was approached by the editor of The Sunflower to do some cartooning.
For Walton, the fine arts program and location were central in deciding to attend WSU.
鈥淭he arts program here is a hidden treasure,鈥� he said.
For Walton鈥檚 family, the love of art and the love of serving country are also felt. Katera Walton, his 21-year-old daughter also attends WSU and is majoring in art. Walton鈥檚 25-year-old stepson is serving in Iraq.
Katera Walton said there are aspects of having her father on campus that she enjoys, but there are other aspects that she finds challenging.
鈥淎t times, its a little nerve wracking,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he art community here is small, so it鈥檚 not uncommon for things to get back to my father.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e had the best experiences here,鈥� said Walton.
Since coming to WSU, the biggest change for him has been the opportunity and ability to engage and debate with other students and professors about political issues or works of art.
鈥淚t has really opened my eyes,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a world that is vast, and the more I learn, the more I want to explore.鈥�
When he is not at McKnight Art Center or the Rhatigan Student Center, you can find Walton enjoying his other passion 鈥� motorcycles. The proud owner of a Harley Davidson, Walton loves riding his Harley around Kansas.
His love for motorcycles has involved him in a charitable cause. For the past five years, he has been part of a motorcycle brotherhood, the Warrior Brotherhood, whose purpose is to raise money to benefit returning, wounded veterans.
If he could give any pearls of wisdom to the youth of today, it would be, 鈥淓ducation opens doors.鈥�
Walton expects to graduate in May 2010 and looks forward to a new career teaching art.