Spring Break
Lechner sets third graduation date, launches 24-hour webcam
Dan Pettis
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
Senior Johnny Lechner despite a planned graduation following the spring 2007 semester is attending classes for his 14th year. He said he plans to graduate after the spring 2008 semester.
Lechner said he was inspired to return to UW-Whitewater to live the college life he enjoys so much for one more year just as he was about to graduate.
"Once I got ready to graduate I started to think about the fact that I wanted to stay another year, and it had nothing to do with any media attention or a Web site," Lechner said. "It was just following my heart, which has brought me back for one more year."
Lechner said he took all of the steps necessary to graduate but changed his mind when he realized he wanted to stay another year. However, on May 16, the Janesville Gazette reported him saying he did not complete the necessary paperwork because he was too busy partying.
The Registrar's office declined comment on the status of Lechner's graduation application for the 2007 school year.
Lechner said the student reaction he has heard from his decision to remain at UW-Whitewater has been mostly positive. He said he knows there are students who think he returned to school just for the fame, but he doesn't care what they think.
Sophomore Alan Grgic said he supported Lechner's decision to stay in school. Grgic said Lechner should keep going to school because he is benefiting from the extra time spent learning.
"As long as he's enjoying himself it's not a bad thing," Grgic said. "A lot of people think it's a little extreme and that he's just doing it for the attention, but I know that he still goes to classes. Once he does decide to end this he's going to come out having learned a lot."
During the summer Lechner acted in a movie. He appeared in a college comedy titled "Fraternity House," as a character named "Fossil."
The Internet Movie Database said the plot is "24 hours in the life of Iota Gamma Chi, the wildest fraternity on campus."
IMDB said the movie is currently in the post production phase. Lechner said it is set for release in August 2008.
Lechner's main project for this semester is a 24 hour live streaming webcam which can be viewed at www.johnnylechner.com. Lechner set up a camera by his computer and can respond and interact with viewers through a message board on the Web site.
To keep the cameras rolling 24 hours Lechner has a portable webcam which he plans to take out with him when he is not at home.
"What drew me into it is the artistic value of it," Lechner said. "Nobody has really ever done anything like this where they keep it running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, rain, sleet, snow; whatever's going on."
Lechner has said he was ready to graduate twice before but changed his mind both times. He decided to study abroad and pulled out of graduation days before the May 2006 ceremony.
Lechner said he was inspired to return to UW-Whitewater to live the college life he enjoys so much for one more year just as he was about to graduate.
"Once I got ready to graduate I started to think about the fact that I wanted to stay another year, and it had nothing to do with any media attention or a Web site," Lechner said. "It was just following my heart, which has brought me back for one more year."
Lechner said he took all of the steps necessary to graduate but changed his mind when he realized he wanted to stay another year. However, on May 16, the Janesville Gazette reported him saying he did not complete the necessary paperwork because he was too busy partying.
The Registrar's office declined comment on the status of Lechner's graduation application for the 2007 school year.
Lechner said the student reaction he has heard from his decision to remain at UW-Whitewater has been mostly positive. He said he knows there are students who think he returned to school just for the fame, but he doesn't care what they think.
Sophomore Alan Grgic said he supported Lechner's decision to stay in school. Grgic said Lechner should keep going to school because he is benefiting from the extra time spent learning.
"As long as he's enjoying himself it's not a bad thing," Grgic said. "A lot of people think it's a little extreme and that he's just doing it for the attention, but I know that he still goes to classes. Once he does decide to end this he's going to come out having learned a lot."
During the summer Lechner acted in a movie. He appeared in a college comedy titled "Fraternity House," as a character named "Fossil."
The Internet Movie Database said the plot is "24 hours in the life of Iota Gamma Chi, the wildest fraternity on campus."
IMDB said the movie is currently in the post production phase. Lechner said it is set for release in August 2008.
Lechner's main project for this semester is a 24 hour live streaming webcam which can be viewed at www.johnnylechner.com. Lechner set up a camera by his computer and can respond and interact with viewers through a message board on the Web site.
To keep the cameras rolling 24 hours Lechner has a portable webcam which he plans to take out with him when he is not at home.
"What drew me into it is the artistic value of it," Lechner said. "Nobody has really ever done anything like this where they keep it running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, rain, sleet, snow; whatever's going on."
Lechner has said he was ready to graduate twice before but changed his mind both times. He decided to study abroad and pulled out of graduation days before the May 2006 ceremony.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Nafeesah
posted 9/28/08 @ 5:19 PM CST
Has this fool even graduated yet? I bet all his former classmates he started with have looked at him as a complete joke. I wonder if Lechner's parents are embarassed at their son's behavior for someone as old as he is. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 9/30/08 @ 7:48 PM CST
This may be fun for him and all but he is still wasting tax payers money. Having been in school for 14 years that is a lot of money going to subsidize his education. (Continued…)
nicole
posted 10/01/08 @ 9:35 AM CST
I really hatre when people do stories on this moron. Like he needs any more publicity. He should be embarrassed of himself and I wish people would just stop giving him press. (Continued…)
kevin
posted 10/01/08 @ 2:58 PM CST
Does he not even realize that 99% of the campus population refers to him as "that idiot geezer who's been going to school here for like a million years"?
I think he should just get out of here. (Continued…)
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