1955-56

• The Union was built at a cost of $1.65 million dollars and opened on March 8, 1956.

• The first Union Director was Loren Kottner.

• Prior to opening, Ed Gillette was appointed the first chairperson of the Union Program Council in April 1955.

The Sixties

UPC programs included:

• Trips to New York World's Fair, skiing in Colorado, a tour of Europe, and a cruise to the Bahamas.

• Appearances by Harry Belafonte, Jerry Lee Lewis and Baroness Maria von Trapp from "The Sound of Music" story. 

• Publishing the Unionaire, a weekly brochure of activities.

The Seventies

• Students enjoyed many outstanding programs, from the then-unknown Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band to the first showing of the cult-classic, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

• The Potpourri Committee hosted demonstrations from glass blowing, hair styling and cooking, to the annual bridal fair.

• Several artists got their start touring campuses and performing at K-State. Entertainers during the 1970s include Blood, Sweat and Tears; Joan Baez; John Denver; Cicily Tyson; Doc Severson; Ozark Mountain Daredevils; Jimmie "J.J." Walker; Seals and Croft; Lily Tomlin; Jefferson Starship; “Scotty” of Star Trek; Bob Hope; The Doobie Brothers; Red Skelton; Bread; Michael Murphy; America; Billy Joel; the Harlem Globetrotters; Marshall Tucker Band; and Firefall. 

The Nineties

• The first Stanley L. Winter Alpha Tau Omega K-State Student Union Leadership Scholarship was awarded in April 1993. The scholarship was created in memory of Stanley Winter, who was active with UPC as a volunteer and as an advisor. He was also active in the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. 

• The official name of the Union became the K-State Student Union in May 1995.

• In 1997, Satellite Theater was added as a committee. It coordinated with Network Event Theater free movie premieres and live satellite interviews with actors and directors involved with the film.

The Two Thousands

• In 2001, “First Fridays” started as an alternative to Aggieville and a way to introduce students to the Union and campus, which is now the weekly After Hours events.

• In 2005-06, After Hours received honorable mention honors for the “ACUI Role of the College Union” award.

• Entertainers and speakers included Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called It; Mo Rocca, Comedy Central and VH1 comedian; Dr. Drew Pinsky, from Love Line with Dr. Drew and Adam Corolla; Comedy City Improv Comedy Troupe, California rock group Paradigm, satirist Johnny Walker, actor/comedian Will Ferrell, along with Demetri Martin, Zach Galifianakis, and Nick Swardson were here for the Will Ferrell Comedy Tour Presented by Semi-Pro, Nate Parker from “The Great Debaters,” Chris Hansen from “To Catch a Predator,” Morgan Spurlock from 30 Days and Super-Size Me, Eve 6, Ben Folds, Last Comic Standing finalist Jeff Dye, actor comedian Kyle Cease, Owl City, Jeff Corwin, Joel McHale, N*W*C, Loni Love, Baby Wants Candy, Frank Warren from PostSecret, comic Dan Cummins, and Evolution of Dance phenomenon Judson Laippley…twice. (He loved K-State so much, he filmed Evolution of Dance 2 in the Grand Ballroom to another packed house.)