A Oval Summer 2013 Godkin
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“[e Colonel’s Assignment Division] called and said, ‘You’re going to Fort Col- lins,’” Godkin recalls. “I had never heard of it. It came as a very pleasant surprise.” It took a reference to a book to find out the university at which he would be serv- ing as an Air Force ROTC commander, but by the summer of 1979, Godkin, along with his wife and daughters, had made the move to Colorado. Soon aſter Godkin arrived in Fort Col- lins, he began reshaping the ROTC pro- gram, and in 1980, he began implement- ing a part of military routine that had not existed at CSU for many years. “One of the first things I did was meet with the cadets,” he says. “We got a drill team going.” e drill team, a group of cadets who whirl weapons and per- form choreographed marches, is now called Wing Walkers. e team began small, but competed with CSU’s ROTC rival—Air Force Academy— whose team tremendously outnumbered that of CSU. And, of course, the team is present at most of the university’s sporting events. Today, the drill team has grown, and so has the trophy case in the Military Scienc- es building. A major contributor to the collection of awards is United States Air Force officer Megan Wade, a 2013 CSU graduate of agricultural sciences, who was commissioned by Godkin himself— an honor he says was all his. As a former member of both the ROTC and Wing Walkers, Wade first met Godkin during her sophomore year, upon initia- tion onto the drill team. From that point on, her college career was strongly affected by Godkin, as a commander, mentor, and someone who deeply inspired her. “He really took the time to get to know me, and the others in Wing Walkers as well,” Wade says. “I would go months with- out seeing him and when I did, he’d greet me by my first name, which is rare in the military. He really showed that he cared.” Although Godkin retired from a 31-year run in the Air Force, and leſt CSU in the early eighties, it was just a few years before he found himself back on campus. rough the connections he had made as an ROTC commander and as a professor of aerospace studies, he heard about a new managerial position at the university’s faculty club. “In early ’87, I got the word from some friends in the [Lory Student Center] that they were looking at starting what they were going to call a ‘faculty club,’” he says, recalling the “pitiful” faculty lounge that had consisted of a few coffee machines and some plastic couches. Aſter three rounds of interviews, and an admission that he’d had no prior restaurant or bar management experience (but knew how to make drinks), Godkin was offered the position. It was then that he began “I’m the luckiest man you’ll ever talk to,” says retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Sheldon Godkin. As a graduate of both Oglethorpe and Boston University, one could wonder how he managed to score an honorary lifetime membership to the University Club at Colorado State. One phone call, however, turned him green and gold forever. to transform the stale lounge into the polished club that serves not only faculty, but University staff, alumni, and retirees. Although Godkin was the driving force behind the transformation, he humbly credits former CSU president Philip Austin and former Lory Student Center director Manny Cunard for making it all come together. “But I had all the fun of getting it done,” Godkin adds. He says that the club’s selling points are the free breakfast, coffee, and tea on weekday mornings— and probably the ursday night happy hours. “What kept me here at the U-Club for17 MEMBER Profile Lifelong Influence From ROTC to U-Club AROUND THE OVAL Summer 2013 8 years was that the club filled a need,” he says, “It was something the University didn’t have.” Godkin retired from the University Club in 2004 aſter nearly two decades, but that doesn’t mean he is far from CSU. e am- biance of the University is what has kept him around as a member of the Alumni Association. “I was so welcomed here at CSU by the faculty and the staff,” he says. “People were so great; still are. It made a major impact on me— a favorable impact.” Godkin, who still owns a ’64 Volkswa- gen Beetle that sports custom “U-Club” license plates, received a lifetime mem- Shelly Godkin, Alumni Association Life Member Godkin in uniform Godkin in Okinawa, Japan, 1955 Godkin and friends with his VW on campus in 1980 CSU Air Force ROTC Wing Walkers, 2013 bership to the club, and is occasion- ally seen there having breakfast with friends. And while his name will for- ever grace the plaque mounted in the club entrance, his cadets recognize him for something entirely different— the influence he continues to have on them. ough Godkin’s time as a professor came to an end nearly 30 years ago, his name is still fresh in the minds of students in 2013. “His legend, his story, and his passion have carried on still,” Wade says. By Shelby Taylor-Thorn (’13)
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Transcript of A Oval Summer 2013 Godkin
“[� e Colonel’s Assignment Division] called and said, ‘You’re going to Fort Col-lins,’” Godkin recalls. “I had never heard of it. It came as a very pleasant surprise.” It took a reference to a book to � nd out
the university at which he would be serv-ing as an Air Force ROTC commander, but by the summer of 1979, Godkin, along with his wife and daughters, had made the move to Colorado. Soon a� er Godkin arrived in Fort Col-lins, he began reshaping the ROTC pro-
gram, and in 1980, he began implement-ing a part of military routine that had not existed at CSU for many years. “One of the � rst things I did was meet with the cadets,” he says. “We got a drill
team going.” � e drill team, a group of cadets who whirl weapons and per-form choreographed marches, is now called Wing Walkers. � e team began small, but competed with CSU’s ROTC rival—Air Force Academy— whose team tremendously outnumbered that of CSU. And, of course, the team is present at most of the university’s sporting events.
Today, the drill team has grown, and so has the trophy case in the Military Scienc-es building. A major contributor to the collection of awards is United States Air Force o� cer Megan Wade, a 2013 CSU graduate of agricultural sciences, who was commissioned by Godkin himself— an honor he says was all his.
As a former member of both the ROTC and Wing Walkers, Wade � rst met Godkin during her sophomore year, upon initia-tion onto the drill team. From that point on, her college career was strongly a� ected by Godkin, as a commander, mentor, and someone who deeply inspired her. “He really took the time to get to know me, and the others in Wing Walkers as well,” Wade says. “I would go months with-out seeing him and when I did, he’d greet me by my � rst name, which is rare in the military. He really showed that he cared.” Although Godkin retired from a 31-year run in the Air Force, and le� CSU in the early eighties, it was just a few years before he found himself back on campus. � rough the connections he had made as an ROTC commander and as a professor of aerospace studies, he heard about a new managerial position at the university’s faculty club. “In early ’87, I got the word from some friends in the [Lory Student Center] that they were looking at starting what they were going to call a ‘faculty club,’” he says, recalling the “pitiful” faculty lounge that had consisted of a few co� ee machines and some plastic couches. A� er three rounds of interviews, and an admission that he’d had no prior restaurant or bar management experience (but knew how to make drinks), Godkin was o� ered the position. It was then that he began
“I’m the luckiest man you’ll ever talk to,” says retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Sheldon Godkin. As a graduate of both Oglethorpe and Boston University, one could wonder how he managed to score an honorary lifetime membership to the University Club at Colorado State. One phone call, however, turned him green and gold forever. to transform the stale lounge into the
polished club that serves not only faculty, but University sta� , alumni, and retirees. Although Godkin was the driving force behind the transformation, he humbly credits former CSU president Philip Austin and former Lory Student Center director Manny Cunard for making it all come together. “But I had all the fun of getting it done,” Godkin adds. He says that the club’s selling points are the free breakfast, co� ee, and tea on weekday mornings— and probably the � ursday night happy hours. “What kept me here at the U-Club for17
M E MB E R Profile
Lifelong In� uenceFrom ROTC to U-Club
A R O U N D T H E O V A L Summer 20138
years was that the club � lled a need,” he says, “It was something the University didn’t have.” Godkin retired from the University Club in 2004 a� er nearly two decades, but that doesn’t mean he is far from CSU. � e am-biance of the University is what has kept him around as a member of the Alumni Association. “I was so welcomed here at CSU by the faculty and the sta� ,” he says. “People were so great; still are. It made a major impact on me— a favorable impact.” Godkin, who still owns a ’64 Volkswa-gen Beetle that sports custom “U-Club” license plates, received a lifetime mem-
Shelly Godkin, Alumni Association Life Member Godkin in uniformGodkin in Okinawa, Japan, 1955
Godkin and friends with his VW on campus in 1980
CSU Air Force ROTC Wing Walkers, 2013
bership to the club, and is occasion-ally seen there having breakfast with friends. And while his name will for-ever grace the plaque mounted in the club entrance, his cadets recognize him for something entirely di� erent— the in� uence he continues to have on them. � ough Godkin’s time as a professor came to an end nearly 30 years ago, his name is still fresh in the minds of students in 2013. “His legend, his story, and his passion have carried on still,” Wade says.
By Shelby Taylor-Thorn (’13)
