FHSU Magazine - Spring 2016 by FHSU Alumni Association

SPRING

FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY

2016

M A G A Z I N E

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FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY

WELCOME BACK TIGER Take the next step in your career with the Virtual College

100% online. Over 40 award winning programs of distinction. Tuition rates among the lowest in the nation.

FHSU MAGAZINE SPRING 2016

www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege 800-628-4291

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INSIDE

2015-2016 ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Council Eric Grospitch, ’93, ’97, Ed.D., Overland Park, President Mitch Hall ’05, Harper, Vice President Diane Scott, ’88, ’90, Ph.D., Broomfield, Colo., Past President David “Dave” Voss ’80, ’82, Colby, Awards & Recognition Chair Rich Dreiling ’69, Wichita, Chapter Development Chair Ethan Harder ’05, Elkhart, Finance & Operations Chair Mike Koerner, ’00 ’05, Hays, Membership & Marketing Chair Lea Ann Curtis ’76, ’82, Topeka, At-large Member Chad Fowler ’99, Andale, At-large Member

FHSU MAGAZINE

Volume 18, No. 2

CAMPUS NEWS 4 Affordability is the key to success

2015-16 Alumni Board Members

Molly Aspan ’00, Tulsa, Okla. Marcella “Marcy” Aycock, Ph.D. ’84, Sedgwick Sandy Billinger ’02, Ph.D., Roeland Park LeAnn Brown, ’02, Ph.D., WaKeeney

Tim Chapman, Hays

J. Alan Feist ’55, Downs Angela Leggett Gaughan ’92, Wichita Ulises Gonzalez, SGA president, Hays Curtis Hammeke ’85, ’93, Hays

Leo Lake ’57, ’61, Salina Mirta M. Martin, Ph.D., Hays

Emily Griffin Overocker ’00, Edmund, Okla. Denise Riedel ’86, Overland Park Ken Ruder ’62, Ph.D., Petersburg, Ky. Roger Schieferecke ’95, ’98, Ed.D., Hays Charles “Chuck” Sexson ’72, Topeka Richard “Rich” Sieker ’77, ’81, Hays Sarah Waller ’07, Garden City Italic indicates ex-officio member.

President tours Kansas to promote FHSU University hits highest enrollment ever and continues to excel General counsel named FHSU Hispanic College Institute set for June ‘Active Shooter’ exercise conducted on campus Hansen Scholarship Hall – newest building on FHSU campus Docking publishes Kansas Speaks survey Meis joins Association

Production Staff

16 ATHLETICS

FHSU Magazine is published three times a year (Fall, Spring,

Summer) by the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university. Subscriptions are by dues paying membership in the Alumni Association with the exception of the Fall issue, which is complimentary to all FHSU alumni. Bulk postage paid at Fulton, Mo. – Permit No. 38. ADVERTISING: For 2015-16 advertising rate cards and placement information, contact the FHSU Alumni Association via e-mail, alumni@fhsu.edu, or call 785-628-4430 or 1-888-351-3591. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the FHSU Alumni Association, One Tiger Place, Hays, KS 67601-3767.

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FEATURES 8 Letter from the Dean – Paul Adams Ph.D. 9 Teacher program – training results in success 10 Travel abroad opportunities provide win-win experiences 12 Outreach opportunities abound in FHSU College of Education 14 Students experience hands-on learning

FHSU MAGAZINE DeBra Prideaux ’86, ’92, Publisher Kent Steward ’02, Editor Kurt Beyers, Copy Editor Karl Pratt ’14, Program Coordinator, Communications Mary Ridgway ’99, Creative Director Mitch Weber ’81, Photographer

SPRING 2016

Teaching as a second career

Football advances to bowl game Women’s basketball reaches No. 1 Keehn – Olympic Trials qualifier

18 TIGER NOTES 20 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS

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You can make a difference Alumni mentors needed for Fall 2016 and beyond

22 CALENDAR

ON THE COVER From yesterday‘s one-room schoolhouse to today‘s high-tech learning centers, FHSU‘s College of Education continues to meet the educational needs of tomorrow‘s learners. Cover by Rebecca Luedders, Hays, designer

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CAMPUS NEWS Affordability is the key to success Incoming freshmen to Fort Hays State University will benefit from a significant raise in ACT/SAT scholarships for the 2016-17 school year. In the past, the top award to first-time freshmen with an ACT of 30 or higher was $3,200. That total included a one-time $2,000 presidential award and a $1,200 award renewable for three additional years. Now, students with an ACT of 29 or higher will receive a $3,500 award, the Presidential Award of Distinction, with the total amount renewable for three more years by maintaining 3.3 FHSU cumulative GPA. Students with an ACT score of 26 to 28 will receive the University Scholar Award of $2,000, and those with an ACT score of 23 to 25 will receive the $1,500 Hays City Scholar Award. Both are renewable for three more years. The largest percentage increases will go to students in the 21-22 ACT range. Formerly, students with 22 and 21 ACT scores received one-time awards of $700 and $500, respectively. The new range for those two ACT scores is $1,000, the Traditions Scholar Award, renewable for three additional years. In addition to the new ACT/SAT scholarship program, scholarship awards for incoming transfer students, which previously topped out at $1,000, now range from $1,000 to $3,000. For more information about these scholarship opportunities and others, visit www.fhsu.edu/finaid.

President tours Kansas to promote FHSU

Artworks featured

Dr. Mirta M. Martin spent the week of Oct. 19-23 traveling throughout Kansas to talk about higher education and Fort Hays State University. The tour included 32 separate events in 15 cities. Among her topics was student retention. In her convocation speech in August, President Martin called upon faculty and staff to shift from a culture of access to a culture of completion. “Our job does not stop with getting students on campus and unpacked. That’s when our work really begins,” she said. “We must ensure those students cross the finish line. We must ensure they graduate. Successful student outcomes are our top priority. Retention is everyone’s business.” Dr. Martin also shared changes at the university, including the creation of an Honors College last spring, which offers a challenging curriculum across the range of FHSU’s academic programs, and housing that will gather the students into a dedicated living and study space. Honors College students automatically become members of the university’s Fort Hays Honor Society, an invitation-only group requiring a 3.8 cumulative GPA. Another initiative launches this spring, the Hispanic College Institute, designed to attract to Fort Hays State the fastest growing minority in the nation and in Kansas.

Fort Hays State University is the Kansas Board of Regents 2015-2016 Artwork Loan Program partner, showcasing more than 30 works from the faculty of the FHSU Department of Art and Design. Launched to celebrate the visual arts, the Board is honored to exhibit select works by Kansas art faculty and students at the board’s office in the Charles Curtis State Office Building. Life-size ceramic figure by FHSU Art and Design faculty Linda (Bunker) Ganstrom ’80, ’86, ’90, Hays.

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University hits highest enrollment ever and continues to excel More students than ever before have made Fort Hays State University their destination of choice for the fall 2015 semester. The university announced yet another all-time headcount record for the official 20th day of the fall semester, which was Monday, Sept. 14, with a total of 14,210 students. “We expect to grow because our outreach initiatives and our combination of an excellent faculty, outstanding academic programs and dedicated staff make Fort Hays State the best choice for people who want all the benefits that higher education can bring,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, FHSU president. “However, we do not take our growth for granted. The dedication, hard work and

expertise of our faculty and staff make us the destination of choice.” FHSU delivers college courses through three modalities – to students on the Hays campus, to students in the Virtual College and to students at partner universities in China. The enrollment of 14,210 is an increase of 2.8 percent from last year's 20th-day headcount of 13,825. That is an increase of 385 students from last fall and the largest enrollment in the history of the university. The headcount of FHSU students at partner universities in China this fall is 3,124. On-campus headcount this fall is 4,763 students. Headcount in the Virtual College

is 6,323 students. Last fall it was 5,860 students. That is an increase of 463 students, or 7.9 percent. The Virtual College makes a college education accessible to students who are unable to relocate to a university community by delivering courses, primarily through the internet, at locations and times that fit their busy schedules. Dr. Joey Linn, '87, '91 vice president of Student Affairs joined President Martin in praising the faculty, staff and alumni. “Increases don’t happen by accident,” he said. “We offer students an extraordinarily safe and friendly campus, with beautiful facilities and the most modern equipment.”

General counsel named

Save the Date

Kerry Wasinger was named in September as the new general counsel and executive assistant to the president for Fort Hays State University. Wasinger received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri in 1996. She graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka in 1999 and took her first job halfway across the state in Hays as a staff attorney for Kansas Legal Services, and she has never left. During her work for Kansas Legal Services, Wasinger represented clients in areas of domestic and general civil matters. She then went to work as staff attorney for the 23rd Judicial District court trustee before joining the Herman Law Office in Hays in 2013. Wasinger also has experience as faculty. She has taught business law classes online for Fort Hays State and for FHSU’s partner institution, Sias International University, in China. She spent six weeks in China teaching at Sias a few years ago. Wasinger replaces Todd Powell ’95, who resigned in January to return to private practice after 10 years as FHSU’s general counsel.

Mark your calendar now and make plans to join us for Homecoming 2016, “Welcome to Tiger Town,” from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. This year, Homecoming will also be the culmination of the Alumni Association’s centennial year of celebrations!

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CAMPUS NEWS FHSU Hispanic College Institute set for June Fort Hays State University will host its inaugural Hispanic College Institute on the campus from June 22 to 25. The institute is a free residential program that prepares high school Hispanic students in Kansas to enter and succeed in higher education. It is designed to provide high school students with the necessary knowledge and tools to enter and persist in college and provides practical college application and financial aid information. Students will be able to engage with successful Hispanic role models who will help inform them about educational opportunities. The program is based on research and input from Hispanic educators and community leaders, and much of the content is delivered by Hispanics who can relate to the students’ experiences and challenges. Participants will be able to stay in one of the traditional residence halls on campus during the four days. Students can learn about the importance of going to college; how to navigate the college admission

process; receive help writing a college application essay; improve public speaking, presentation and interviewing skills; learn how to navigate financial aid and the FAFSA application processes; meet with FHSU admissions and financial aid representatives; and compete for a variety of scholarships. The program provides free transportation to Hays, food and lodging. Students who are accepted into the program will be required to pay a $10 reservation fee, returnable upon arrival. Students are encouraged to apply early for the limited number of spots available. To be eligible, a student must have a 2.5 GPA or above; be a current Kansas Hispanic high school sophomore (class of 2018) or junior (class of 2017); and be enrolled full-time in a Kansas high school. Interested students may visit the HCI website at www.fhsu.edu/hci for more information and to register. The application deadline is Friday, April 1. For more information, contact the HCI at 785-628-5666 or email hci@fhsu.edu.

‘Active shooter’ exercise conducted on FHSU campus Fort Hays State University staged an “active shooter” exercise in September to test the capabilities of law enforcement and emergency management teams in case of an emergency situation. Other than at Forsyth Library, where the physical exercise was conducted by university, local, state and national law enforcement and other personnel, campus activities were not disrupted. Classes met and other scheduled events also proceeded as planned. Local units participating in the exercise included the University Police Department,

Hays Police Department and the Hays Communication Center among others. Ironically, while the exercise was occuring, a separate emergency event occured that required a real alert to be sent to campus. Within the FHSU community, 6,913 individuals have provided a telephone number to receive text messages. The text alert was sent at 2:23 p.m. Within 23 seconds, 85 percent of those individuals had received the text alert; 90 percent received it within 49 seconds; 95 percent received it within 1 minute and 26 seconds; and 98 percent received it within 2 minutes and 55 seconds. This means that more than 6,200 students, faculty and

staff received an alert in the form of a text message in less than a minute. Within the FHSU community, 12,537 individuals have provided an address to receive email messages. The email alert also was sent at 2:23 p.m. Within 5 minutes and 6 seconds, 85 percent of those individuals had received the email alert; 90 percent received it within 5 minutes and 21 seconds; and 95 percent received it within 5 minutes and 39 seconds. Telephone alerts, both through live messages and as voice mail messages, are the slowest delivery mode. Local telephone systems do not have the capability to deliver the alerts as quickly as the Rave system can send them. The diagnostics show that for the 11,648 individuals who provided a number to receive a telephone alert, all the calls were placed within 5 minutes and 31 seconds of when the alert was sent.

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Hansen Scholarship Hall – newest building on FHSU campus Fort Hays State University broke ground on a new scholarship hall funded mostly by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan. Construction on the Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall began in October, with completion planned in time for the start of the 2016 fall semester. The $4.061 million building will be funded by a $3 million donation from the Hansen Foundation and other private donations. The Hansen Foundation is well known

for its philanthropic efforts toward the betterment of communities and has been especially generous toward educational endeavors, following in the beliefs held by its benefactor, Dane G. Hansen: the promotion of education and helping young people to succeed. Since 1965, the foundation has awarded more than $15 million in scholarships to students in the 26 counties in which Hansen conducted his road and bridge construction

Docking publishes Kansas Speaks survey Kansas Speaks 2015, released in October, is the seventh in the series of annual surveys conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University. The governor’s tax policy was “neither success nor failure” in the opinion of 32 percent, 7 percent said it was at least “a success,” and only 0.2 percent said it was “a tremendous success.” About three-quarters (76 percent) of respondents still think Kansas is at least a “good” place to live, a number that is down almost 10 percent from a year ago, when 85 percent thought Kansas was at least a “good” place to live. The “poor” or “very poor” opinion was up slightly, to 5 percent in 2015 over 3 percent in 2014. More than a third (37 percent) rated the Kansas economy as at least “good,” 38 percent said the economy is “fair,” and 26 percent rated the economy as “poor” or “very poor.” The rating was lower among Democrats and those leaning Democrat.

Over half of respondents, 51 percent, were at least “moderately concerned” that the Kansas economy would seriously threaten their or their family’s welfare over the next year, while 27 percent were “slightly concerned,” and 23 percent were “not concerned at all.” Female respondents were more concerned than males, and concern was also high among respondents with lower household incomes. Overall, however, respondents were less concerned in 2015 than they have been since 2009. The Docking Institute conducted the survey from a random sample of adult residents of Kansas age 18 and older. A total of 1,252 Kansas residents were contacted; 638 completed the survey, a 50.9-percent response rate. The margin of error was 4.1 percent at a 95-percent confidence level. The full report is available online through the Kansas Speaks link at www.fhsu.edu/docking.

and oil business. The foundation has partnered with other schools and groups for remodeling projects on buildings in the past, but this will mark the first time it has participated in building a scholarship hall. The 12,775-square-foot, three-story building will provide individual bedrooms for 32 entrepreneur-minded students and a resident assistant. It is under construction on the site of the former north wing of Wiest Hall.

Meis joins Association Janette Meis ’93, Hays, joined the Alumni Association on Sept. 8 as the program coordinator for alumni and chapter programs. Meis will work with chapter development to increase involvement and expand the alumni and friends chapter system throughout the United States and beyond. She will also develop programs to better engage alumni and increase their involvement with the university, including working with current students. Prior to joining the Alumni Association, Meis worked as the state director for the Kansas Court Appointed Special Advocate programs for more than 15 years. She has experience with project management, communication, grant writing, public relations and program development. Meis may be reached at 785-628-4217 or j_meis@fhsu.edu.

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FEATURE Letter from the Dean Dear friends, I invite you to read about the FHSU College of Education’s endeavors and successes. Preparation of education leaders from the classroom to the front office to serve the needs of Kansas has been at the heart of FHSU since its beginning. Paul Adams, Ph.D. Anywhere you go in Kansas, you are likely to find an FHSU education graduate. My belief was reinforced recently at a regional meeting of science teachers, where I was impressed by the number of teachers who stopped by an FHSU booth to say “hello.” This fall, the College of Education was recognized by the National Council of Teacher Quality for being an affordable, quality program (www.fhsu.edu/news/Programsearned-top-rank-nationally). The honor reflects the dedication and quality of the COE faculty in preparing teachers and educational leaders to meet the needs of education in Kansas. While COE retains a vital and essential role in preparation of school personnel, we have not limited ourselves to the tried and true. COE faculty have been active in seeking opportunities to expand our ability to provide our programs to career-changers through the Transition to Teaching program, to placeand time-bound individuals through our developing Residency Program, and to future leaders in pre-K-12 schools through expansion of our online offerings in Advanced Education Programs. These programs provide an opportunity for the growth of the COE and serve Tigers not only in Kansas but nationwide. Some of the exciting developments in the College of Education involve our outreach efforts to encompass the needs of our current students, teachers and leaders in education and service to our community.

As you will see in the sampling of projects and efforts of our staff and faculty, we: 1) are providing international opportunities for our students;

2) are providing affordable technology and professional development solutions for Kansas through the Google Educators Group and the Kansas Center for Innovative Education; and

3) are improving STEM education and experiences for youth and professional development STEM activities for teachers through the Science and Mathematics Education Institute.

As dean, I am proud of what our faculty and staff are doing and what they plan to do. I welcome you to visit us when you are on campus. I also invite you to contact me if you have ideas for the COE or can provide support to help us continue as we Teach, Model and Lead. Sincerely, Paul Adams, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Education Anschutz Professor of Education Professor of Physics Director, FHSU Science & Mathematics Institute padams@fhsu.edu Office: 785-628-5344 Cell: 785-365-6007

Programs offered Comprised of the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Advanced Education Programs, the College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs.

Undergraduate • Early Childhood Unified • Elementary Education • Secondary Education • Special Education • English for Speakers of Other Languages

Graduate • High-Incidence Special Education • Building Leadership • Community Counseling • Education Specialist • ESOL • Gifted Education • Higher Education Student Affairs • Instructional Technology • Library Media Specialist • Reading Specialist • School Counseling • School Psychology • Transition to Teaching Also housed within the college are three dynamic outreach programs. The Kansas Center for Innovative Education offers professional development workshops tailored to specific educational needs, including partnerships with school districts for teacher in-services. The Science and Mathematics Education Institute brings together an extensive network of educators and pedagogy enthusiasts to create programs that strengthen science and mathematics comprehension in students of all ages – kindergarten through college. SMEI also provides outreach educational opportunities for community members from the Hays and western Kansas region. The Google Educators Group is actively working with teachers and administrators across the state to find technology solutions using Google devices and materials.

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Teacher program – training results in success High teacher turnover rates cost school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions. The cost to the students who must endure a revolving door of novice teachers is even higher – a quality education. “Nationwide, roughly 50 percent of traditionally prepared teachers leave the profession within five years,” said Dr. Sherri Brantley ’03, ’08, assistant professor of teacher education. “That number drops to three years in urban areas, and that’s usually right when they hit their stride.” But the numbers change dramatically for the better when prospective teachers get a chance to gain an authentic experience before they graduate. After graduation, thanks to the teacher residency program, they are much more likely to keep working and living in their home communities. “For graduates of teacher residency programs,” said Brantley, “the retention rate beyond three years is 85 percent.” FHSU’s Teacher Residency Program, which began in the fall of 2014, involves educational agencies in Kansas and Colorado. FHSU collaborates with school districts to solve teacher recruitment and retention issues by establishing “grow-your-own” residency cohorts among classified staff (paraprofessionals, long-term substitutes, teachers’ aides) who already work in the schools and live in the community. Residents are trained to teach in today’s classrooms through an immersive and embedded bachelor’s degree program. “We have been honored to partner with numerous public school districts, community colleges, special education cooperatives and interlocals,” said Brantley. “Our partnerships grow in number and in geographical reach each year, with more than 30 to date.”

FHSU’s pilot program began with a cohort of nine candidates. Many of these pioneer residents already had teaching jobs waiting for them in their local school districts prior to their graduation in December 2015. Two additional residency cohorts (20 residents in total) began in fall 2015 and are expected to graduate in May 2017. Additional residents are added each semester. “In our experience, aspiring teachers build practical skills and apply theoretical knowledge only by being in the classroom, so we place our residents in paraprofessional, long-term substitute jobs where they work with experienced local teachers day in and day out.” Residents spend their days teaching students and interacting with school district personnel, satisfying their employment responsibilities and coursework requirements. Traditional teacher education students must take time off of work to complete internship hours and have to quit working completely during their student teaching semester. Resident students earn a wage working as a paraprofessional or long-term substitute throughout the two-year experience. Residency candidates take all courses online and pay the same affordable tuition no matter where they live. The individual courses are woven into one master course each semester to reflect an authentic interplay of multiple content areas, theory and practice. Every assignment requires a resident to collaborate and consult with teachers and administrators in his or her school district. “Residents complete tasks with students in real classrooms,” said Brantley. “Weekly

cohort meetings moderated by FHSU faculty provide residents the opportunity to reflect on their performance and support each other with advice and critique.” Faculty and residents use Google Apps for Education in every aspect of course delivery. All assignment information and course materials are housed in a Google Classroom website. Residents create their work in Google Drive using apps such as Docs, Sheets, Slides, YouTube and more. The weekly cohort meetings are facilitated via Google Hangouts’ on-air videoconferencing so that residents living in disparate locations can interact with each other face-to-face, even sharing documents in real time. “Another great opportunity is the cost savings,” said Brantley. “Our elementary education program has been named the No. 6 Best Value in the nation by the National Council on Teacher Quality and No. 1 in Kansas!” She said FHSU’s residency model combines the “very best of traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs.” “Residents work with mentor teachers, receive intensive coaching, collaborate weekly as a cohort and gradually assume more teaching responsibility over time,” she said. “By the end of the two-year experience, residents possess both a strong foundation of pedagogy and content knowledge along with the ability to maintain control of a classroom, manage behaviors and achieve positive impact on student learning.” To learn more about Fort Hays State University‘s Teacher Residency program call 785-628-4204 or visit online at www.sites.google.com/a/mail.fhsu. edu/residency.

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FEATURE

Travel abroad opportunities provide w

Numerous FHSU teacher education students participated in service-learning projects and intensive cultural experiences by traveling to partnerships schools in Mexico and Belize during the 2014-2015 academic year. Over Spring Break 2015, several teacher education majors traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with two teacher education professors, Dr. Lorie Cook-Benjamin, associate professor, and Dr. Sherri Brantley ’03, ’08, assistant professor.

“The trip gave students the opportunity to experience the diversity of the local culture and to help out at the Volcanes Community Education Project School,” said Brantley. “The students administered assessments to measure oral language skills, read books and taught English to the Volcanes students.” The Department of Teacher Education has an ongoing relationship with the Volcanes Community Education Project. More information is also available on their Facebook page, “Envision Volcanes.” To expand on that partnership, a teacher education candidate is spending the 2016 spring semester in Puerto Vallarta for an intensive cultural experience. While there, the candidate will complete internships at the Volcanes School and the British American School (BAS). “The schools vastly differ in terms of their population and location,” said CookBenjamin. “Volcanes is volunteer-run and located in the impoverished community of Volcanes, which is about 25 miles from Puerto

Vallarta. BAS is a very affluent private school in Puerto Vallarta.” BAS is, according to its literature, “a bilingual school internationally recognized for its excellence in providing a student-centered education system with specialized attention to each of the areas covered.” The teacher education students will complete their internship hours and assist in other ways at both schools over the course of the semester. The experience provides the candidates with the opportunity to work with English language learners and students from both high and low socio-economic backgrounds, which will better prepare them for their future career in teaching. The candidates will maintain their regular course schedule and graduate as planned by completing their spring courses virtually. Both schools desperately need native English speaking teachers. Candidates will enroll in an English-for-speakers-of-other-languages course to support their instruction in Mexico.

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de win-win experiences To read more about and donate to the project at Envision Volcanes, see the Go Fund Me webpage at www.gofundme.com/ envisionvolcanes. In June 2015, the Opportunity Through Education Learning Community comprised of eight teacher education students and their faculty mentor, Dr. Elodie Jones ’98, ’00, assistant professor, left for Ambergris Caye, Belize. Over a 10-day span, they spent time working at Holy Anglican Primary School and Faith Bible Church. “The students were able to spend time at the school and learn about the curriculum, the students and community of San Mateo,” said Jones. “Another mission was to assist a local minister and his family with priming and painting their community church.” In the summer of 2016, the FHSU students will provide reading and math tutoring and English language assessments to the primary school as well as help with a local Red Cross food drive that benefits the schools and the island population. Through these experiences, FHSU’s teacher education students are able to apply a prescribed curriculum and, when combined with their own knowledge and understanding, they begin to make connections concerning the facets of how

education, culture, socio-economic issues and the human condition are relevant and intertwined. “Students also gain skills in servicelearning, teamwork, problem-solving, and the rich and invaluable experiences that study abroad employs,” said Jones. One of the students who went to Belize is Cheyanne Toler, a Colorado Springs sophomore majoring in secondary math education. “I have always aspired to travel abroad and also become a teacher,” she said, adding that participation in this program has exposed her to cultural differences in education and provided her with a “wonderful opportunity to make a difference for the children of Belize.” Belize, she said, provided her with an opportunity to share the importance and benefits of education. She also benefited from having her eyes opened to “problems in education, so that I can avoid the ignorance that plagues many within the educational system.” “I will be able to better fight for equality in education, even within the United States,” she said. “Cultural and economic differences should not be an obstacle any student has to overcome.”

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Outreach opportunities abound in By Lorie Cook-Benjamin, Ph.D.; Ann Noble ’05; Suzanne Becking, Ph.D; and Robert Moody, Ph.D. The College of Education offers a number of opportunities for professional development, skill enhancement, information and training. Each initiative operates independently, but together they provide a comprehensive approach to serving Kansans’ needs.

Kansas Center for Innovative Education The Kansas Center for Innovative Education provides educational resources, training and development for professionals on site and in the virtual environment. KCIE offers workshops, conferences and customized training. The hallmark of the center’s offerings is its presenters, which include COE faculty and pre-K-12 teachers. College of Education faculty present timely topics in their areas of research and expertise and often partner with pre-K-12 teachers. The primary reasons for attending are to renew teaching licenses and to gain expertise on specific topics. Many of the participants earn college credit, helping to advance their salary or to obtain a master’s degree.

Popular workshop topics include classroom management, English language instruction, literacy, technology use and problembased learning. The Make It Yours Regional Professional Development Day, offered for the past two years, was collaborativelycreated with school district administrators and staff from Hays USD 489 and other local districts. Sharing services provides noted speakers and relevant information and helps to keep registration costs to a minimum. Each KCIE event concludes with an evaluation. The results confirm that 100 percent of the participants rate KCIE’s offerings as “strongly agree” or “agree” on the statement, “The workshop content was valuable.” and “The instructor(s) was/were knowledgeable about topic.” For more information, visit www.fhsu.edu/kcie.

Science and Mathematics Education Institute FHSU’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute strives to inform, reform and improve science and mathematics education, awareness and appreciation in K-12 schools, the university and western Kansas. The institute serves as a bridge between FHSU, K-12 schools and the community by supporting, facilitating and promoting outreach programs. SMEI provides professional development in science and mathematics content, strengthening subject matter knowledge and developing pedagogical skills. Recent workshops include the High Altitude Balloon Workshop, Robotics Workshop, Modeling Workshop and the 3D Printing Workshop. A generous donation from a science education supporter bought a digital planetarium, which has played a key role in programs throughout the state for school groups, summer camps and community events. Students, teachers and parents all enjoy learning about constellations, stars,

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d in FHSU College of Education the rising sun and the setting moon. More than 75 Kansas educators have been trained on and allowed to borrow the planetarium to share in their communities. To date, planetarium shows have been viewed by more than 10,000 students. Since 2008, SMEI has also provided monthly Science Café programs where university faculty and community members can take in short informal presentations on STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) topics – ranging from the Large Hadron Collider to worm farming – followed with open discussion. The cafés are held in downtown Hays at a local restaurant to encourage participation by anyone interested in finding out how STEM plays a part in daily life. MakerSpace, in Forsyth Library, is a place for FHSU students to learn and collaborate with their peers to develop new skills while providing a dynamic atmosphere for students, faculty and community members to learn and create with technology. Sewing machines, soldering irons, 3D-printers and more innovative technologies are available.

MakerSpace also houses SMEI’s programmable, interactive, humanoid Nao (pronounced “now”) robots developed by the French company Aldebaran Robotics. The robots offer a wide range of teaching and learning applications and have been used in USD 489 special education classrooms. Through summer camps, SMEI also offers a variety of opportunities for youth in grades 2 to 8 to see how mathematics and science are at work in everyday life. The institute also sponsors the Regional Science Fair and the LEGO Robotics Competition. Visit www.fhsu.edu/smei to learn more about the SMEI offerings.

Google The College of Education’s Google Apps for Education Certified Trainers, coined “gTrainers,” have made a huge impact on the state of Kansas’ educational institutions by providing Google Apps workshops. Training efforts focus on three significant educational issues, helping educators discover innovative

practices to address current teaching and learning challenges related to 1) declining budgets; 2) increased accountability; and 3) rapidly developing technologies. Since 2012, the trainers have visited more than 105 institutions, traveled more than 25,000 miles and affected more than 10,000 teachers and 100,000 students. Ninety-four percent of these workshops were initiated by current students or alumni from the Advanced Education Programs Department. This past year, the gTrainers were contacted by universities in Taiwan and Uruguay and a college of education in southeastern Oklahoma to discuss partnering and training opportunities to help bring Google Apps to their campuses. From April 1-3, gTrainers will host the first Kansas Google Summit in partnership with the Lawrence College and Career Center in Lawrence. On April 16, the third annual Wild West Cloud Fest will be held in FHSU’s Memorial Union. To inquire further, email the team at admin@fhsu-gtrainers.org.

Back row (L to R): Kevin Splichal ’95, ’04, ’12; Dr. Robert Moody; and Erica Fisher ’15. Seated (L to R): Dr. Suzie Becking and Amie Wright ’95, ’12, ’14.

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Students experience hands-on learning Fort Hays State University hosted its first-ever Young Makers Conference in October with more than 250 elementary school students and their teachers and sponsors. Similar to the university’s Young Readers Conference, the Young Makers Conference was theme-based, focusing on helping students, teachers and sponsors understand the importance of integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM subjects) into literacy. “The official theme, ‘STEM meets Technical Text: A Recipe for Growing Our Future Makers,’ allowed participants the opportunity to meet FHSU experts and explore the opportunities which STEM and literacy promise,” said Dr. Beth Walizer ’79, ’92, professor of teacher education and conference chair. Bringing STEM and literacy together, she said, is “a marriage critical to achieving success in education as well as in many of life’s other ventures.” Sheldon, one of FHSU’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute robots, introduced Lisa Tabor, the keynote speaker, and announced the winner of the student story-writing contest, Delaney Wasmuth, fifth-grade student at Ingalls Elementary School. Tabor, representing the Kansas Geographical Alliance, used Wasmuth’s story to introduce her presentation “Using Online Maps for Storytelling.” Participants attended multiple educational sessions throughout the day, including “Drones and Air Flight,” “Coding, Lots O’ Bots” and a read-aloud in the conference bookstore. The sessions were administered by members of the FHSU faculty and staff. Students received the book “Making: Lots O’ Bots” along with a motor, battery and other materials to create their own robots. Classroom teachers had the opportunity to attend a professional development session focusing on integrating twin texts, specifically fiction and non-fiction literature, and technology, such as 3D printing. The Young Makers and Young Readers conferences are biennial events, occurring in alternating years. The 2016 readers conference will focus on healthy lifestyles.

The Department of Advanced Education Programs at FHSU offers a unique pathway to teacher licensure for individuals with bachelor’s degrees. The Transition to Teaching (T2T) Program began in 2003 with four students and has since grown to 176. “Participants are generally second-career individuals who have made a decision to enter the teaching profession after experience in another field,” said Dr. Jim Barrett, associate professor, chair of the Advanced Education Programs Department and director of T2T. “They have a bachelor’s (or higher) degree with enough credit hours in a specific subject area that qualifies them for a restricted teaching license in Kansas,” said Barrett. “That allows accredited Kansas schools to hire T2T Program participants to teach in their schools while they are taking online classes.” The program is a two-year, 24-credit-hour program that qualifies the student for an Initial Teaching License, the same license that a student going through a regular education program would receive upon successful completion of a bachelor’s degree. With an additional 12 hours, the T2T student is eligible to receive a Master of Science in Education degree.

School districts benefit by gaining high quality teachers. Because the FHSU program is online, participants may be located in any school district in Kansas, large or small. In all instances, they are filling positions that for various reasons the district has difficulty filling. “Feedback from Kansas administrators on the quality of Fort Hays State’s T2T students has been positive,” said Barrett. “Administrators remark that T2T students often come with real work experiences, enabling them to relate subject matter to life outside the school. Some T2T students already have experience in the schools as paraprofessionals or as substitute teachers with familiarity in the school setting.” He said a compelling illustration of the impact of the T2T program is the recent selection of the 2016 Kansas Teacher of the Year. Justin Coffey, a Dodge City High School mathematics teacher, received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Wyoming, Laramie, and then worked in retail management before entering the T2T program. He earned his T2T certification from FHSU in the spring of

2011 and completed his master’s degree in education at FHSU in July 2015. “According to Dodge City High School administrators, Coffey’s ability to teach algebraic concepts in the context of the real world has been central to his effectiveness in the classroom,” said Barrett. The university’s T2T program offers several content areas: agriculture; art (pre-K-12); biology; business; chemistry; Earth and space science; English; family and consumer sciences; German (pre-K-12); history; journalism; middle-level (grades 5-8) English; middle-level, comprehensive history; middle-level math; middle-level science; mathematics; music; physical education (pre-K-12); physics; psychology; Spanish (pre-K-12); and technology studies.

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ATHLETICS Football advances to bowl game Fort Hays State football played a postseason game for the first time in 20 years when the Tigers were selected to play in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo., Dec. 5, against the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Enjoying their best season since 1995, the Tigers finished the year at 8-4 overall, but fell by a score of 30-22 in the bowl game. The eight wins in a season tied the school record, reached for the seventh time in the program’s history, and the Tigers finished third in the MIAA standings at 8-3, its highest finish since joining in 2006. The 2015 bowl game marked the third post-season game played at the NCAA Division II level. The Tigers were selected for the NCAA II playoffs in 1993 and 1995. The Tigers showed improvement in the win column for the fourth straight year under head coach Chris Brown, who has taken the program out of mediocrity and built it into one of the top programs in the nation’s most powerful and balanced conference at the Division II level. The Tigers had 13 All-MIAA and four All-Super Region 3 selections. Senior linebacker Brock Long earned Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-America First Team and AP Little All-America First Team honors. Long was one of the top three linebackers in the nation among a combination of nearly 500 NCAA Division II and III and NAIA schools. Long set a new single-season tackle record at FHSU with 171 and was one of the top-five tacklers in the nation in NCAA Division II. He also ranked among the top 20 in sacks (10) and forced fumbles (4) as well as tackles for loss (21.5), setting a new single-season record at FHSU. Also earning All-Super Region 3 honors were defensive back Daniel Lindsey, running back Shaquille Cooper and offensive lineman Matt Erbert. Treveon Albert and Drew O’Brien also set significant individual records. Albert finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in total offense with 8,111 yards over four years. O’Brien became the school’s all-time leader in scoring with a total of 244 points as a kicker over four years.

Women’s basketball reaches No. 1 The FHSU women’s basketball program reached the No. 1 ranking in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division II Poll for the first time in the program’s NCAA history on Dec. 8, holding the position until January 5, 2016. Coming off the best season in the program’s NCAA history in 2014-15, which saw the Tigers go 30-4 overall and reach the Central Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament, the No. 5 Tigers reached the pinnacle of the WBCA Division II rankings by knocking off No. 1 Emporia State in a rematch of the Central Regional Final. FHSU edged ESU by a score of 71-70 to vault into the nation’s top ranking with an undefeated start of 8-0, reaching 10-0 before suffering its first setback of the season. The Tigers have put themselves in a potential hosting position of the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament in March for a second consecutive year.

Volleyball hits 20-win mark Tiger volleyball reached 20 wins in a season for the second time under seventh-year head coach Kurt Kohler and finished the 2015 season at 21-13 and sixth in the MIAA standings at 10-8. Fort Hays State had a winning record in MIAA play for the first time since joining the conference in 2006.

Men’s soccer advances Men’s soccer reached the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year in 2015 and made its fourth appearance overall at the tournament. The Tigers won a second consecutive Central Region championship by defeating conference foe Upper Iowa. The Tigers played to a 1-1 tie with Rockhurst University in the national quarterfinal. The match came down to penalty kicks after neither team could find a game winner in two overtime periods. Rockhurst won the shootout 4-1 to advance to the national semifinal. The Tigers set a new single-season record for wins, going 13-5-2 overall. Forward Mauricio Castorino earned All-America honors from both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. He joined Maurizio Costa, David Lucio, Killian Gorman, and Luan Silva as all-region selections.

Keehn – Olympic Trials qualifier Cory Keehn closed out his very successful collegiate career as a distance runner with a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Division II cross country championships and earned All-America honors with the performance. He reached the top 20 at nationals for the first time in his career, covering the 10K course in a time of 30:06.8. In addition, Keehn qualified for the USA Olympic Team Trials in the half marathon with a time of 1:04:26. Trials are held in Los Angeles in mid-February. Keehn finished his FHSU career as an AllAmerican, a three-time all-region performer, and a three-time All-MIAA performer.

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TIGER NOTES

Steven Roth ’86, St. Marys, was

Share your news with the Tiger community – we want to hear from you, whether it’s new employment, honors, appointments and/or births so we can update your biographical file and keep others informed about the important happenings in your lives. Complete the online “What’s New with You?” form at www.goforthaysstate.com/alumupdate, or send your news items to Fort Hays State University Alumni Association, One Tiger Place, Hays, KS 67601-3767, or e-mail alumni@fhsu.edu or FAX 785-628-4191.

appointed as an administrative law judge with the Kansas Department of Labor. Stacy (Friend) Sparks ’81, ’91, Winfield, was inducted into the College Media Association Hall of Fame in October 2015.

1990s Kari (Austin) Bruffet ’91,

CLASS NOTES 1950s C. Robert “Rob” Wetzel ’58,

Johnson City, Tenn., was honored with the naming of Wetzel Terrace on the campus of Milligan College.

1960s Charles Eubank, ’69, ’70, Coats, along with his wife, Carol (Shriver) ’70, received the

Kraisinger/Clarkson-Frisbie Service Award for outstanding service to the Pratt County Fair Association. Judyanne (Mustoe) Somers ’67, Topeka, has retired as director of alumni services from the Washburn University School of Law. Dan Westphal ’66, Boca Raton, Fla., was named chief medical officer at Broward Health. He also received the Leadership Development Award at the Memorial Healthcare System Leadership Development Institute.

1970s Richard Bechard ’79, ’90,

Overland Park, received an Award of Merit from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Tad Hardy ’79, Baton Rouge, La., is the USDA-APHIS-PPQ state plant health director for Louisiana.

Kathy (McAfee) Spicer ’73, ’75,

Hays, served as grand marshal in the Hays High School USD 489 homecoming parade. She retired as a high school counselor in May 2015 after 42 years in education. Errol Wuertz ‘77, ‘98, Hays, has been re-appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback to a second four-year term on the Kansas Real Estate Commission.

1980s Curt Brungardt ’81, ’84, Hays, and his wife, Christie (Patterson)

’01, served as guest editors of a special issue for the eJournal of Public Affairs. Thomas Drees ’86, Hays, was

awarded the annual 2015 Community Service Award by the Kansas Prosecutors Foundation. Kendall Krug ’83, Hays, received the Envision Visionary Award for his efforts on behalf of those who are blind and visually impaired. Ruth Porsch ’82, Lawrence, graduated from Pacific Coast Banking School. Harry Joe Pratt ’81, Hoxie, joined Sloan & Eland Law Office as an attorney after more than 20 years in the banking industry. Pamela (Ward) Ridler ‘87, Castle Rock, Colo., is a member of the national board of directors, representing Colorado, for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

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Lawrence, was named policy director at the Kansas Health Institute, Topeka. Jeff Crispin ’99, Hays, is the assistant utilities director for the City of Hays. Amy (Fitch) Gilliland ’98, Osage City, was nominated by the Kansas Association of School Librarians to serve on the State of Kansas Library Board. Gilliland’s nomination was approved by Gov. Sam Brownback, and she will serve a four year term. Paul Kraus ’96, Erie, Colo., was a guest presenter at the 2015 FHSU Entrepreneur Direct Speaker Series.

Andy Stanton ’93, ’97, Hays,

has joined the Hays Medical Center Foundation as a development officer.

2000s Danielle (Spresser) Brown ’05,

Salina, was named a Rising Star of 2015 by the Association for Continuing Higher Education, St. Louis.

2010s Clint Goebel ’13, Garden City,

joined Lewis, Hooper & Dick LLC as a staff accountant. Lacy (Taggart) Hammack ’14, Great Bend, was hired as a firstgrade teacher at Riley Elementary School USD 428. Kelly Skillett ‘14, Goose Creek, S.C., a personnel specialist in the U. S. Navy, will retire March 31 after 20 years of honorable service. Meagan Wilson ’15, La Crosse, has been hired as the second- and third-grade classroom teacher at Western Plains North Elementary School USD 106.

MARRIAGES 1990s Travis Taggart ’95 and Sarah Jacobs ’09, Oct. 27, 2015.

2000s Nicholas Boyd ’08 and Mindy Woods, Oct. 3, 2015. Andrew Doffing and Monica Danler ’09, June 6, 2015. Jeremy Fries and Alana Pfeifer

’05, ’09, Oct. 17, 2015. Ryan Grubbs and Tiana Stebens ’09, ’09, Sept. 12, 2015. Matthew Kruse ’05 and Laura Wurtz, Sept. 19, 2015. Justin Martin ’04 and Lindsey Shepherd, Oct. 17, 2015. Neil Ochs ’12 and Heather Fall ’08, Oct. 24, 2015. James ”Randy” Perry ’08 and Megan Dare ’10, Oct. 10, 2015.

Cole Reif ’08 and Regan Ochs ’13,

Dec. 12, 2015. Tyler Sharp ’10 and Hanna Colson

’07, Oct. 24, 2015. Thomas Stover ’02 and Kari Hobbs, Oct. 10, 2015. Shawn Zimmerman ’10, ’10 and Amber Stoecklein ’09,

May 2, 2015.

2010s Derrick Aufdemberge ’14 and Rachel Meyer ’15, Nov. 21, 2015. Kyle Bahr ’13 and Alicia Studer

’11, Aug. 29, 2015. Jared Bailey ’13 and Kirstin Robinson ’15, ’15, Oct. 24, 2015. Chandler Berning and Stephanie Snell ’15, Sept. 19, 2015. Ryan Bibens ’13 and Mallory Fieler ’11, Oct. 10, 2015.

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Jeremy Bishoff ’12 and Amy Himmelberg, May 30, 2015. Patrick Cowan and Karisa Kaiser

’14, Dec. 12, 2015. Kyle Deaver and Aleasha Krehbiel ’15, June 6, 2015. Matt Dinkel and Bailey Deutscher ’12, ’12, Oct. 3, 2015. Jeffrey Dohm ’11 and Jamie Prockish, Oct. 17, 2015. Nicholas Dreitz ’12 and Caitlyn Moss ’12, June 13, 2015. Nathan Flax and Victoria North ’13, June 6, 2015. Brandon Gabel and Jordan Lang ’13, May 9, 2015. Austin Gagnon and Sheena Herl ’11, Dec. 12, 2015. Zachary Hein and Kelly Smidt ’11, Oct. 3, 2015. Nicholas Hensley and Whitney Brooks ’15, Oct. 10, 2015. Caleb Hirsch and Corey Gier ’15, April 25, 2015. Nolan Hoffman ‘11 and Jessica Elsen ‘13, Oct. 17, 2015. Ryan Hoffman ’13 and Jenna Wondra ’13, Nov. 7, 2015. John Koerner and Mallory Wellbrock ’10, April 18, 2015. Darren LaKous and Kaitlyn Bogart ’14, Aug. 29, 2015.

Drew Mahin ’11, ’12 and Corinna Hood, Oct. 10, 2015. Brock McMillan ’12 and Megan Brummer ’12, June 6, 2015. David Murray ’14 and Katelyn Coon, Sept. 12, 2015. Adam Niedens and Megan Kirmer

’11, Aug. 22, 2015. Jared Powers ’14 and Sierra Deterding ’15, July 25, 2015. Erik Pracht ’13 and Nicki Upshaw

’15, Sept. 5, 2015. Cody Rehmer ’13 and Katie Carmichael ’13, ’13, ’15,

Oct. 3, 2015. Jed Ricke and Allison Eck ’10, ’12, Aug. 15, 2015. Clinton Schmitt ’13, ’13 and April Marshall ’14, Sept. 12, 2015. Aaron Shapland and Amber Johnson ’11, June 6, 2015. Laken Steele ’10 and Samantha Kisner ’11, Aug. 15, 2015. Todd Vogts ’12 and Kendall Perry, July 25, 2015. Brian Whitmer and Krista Pasek ’11, ’14, July 25, 2015. Michael Windholz and Nicole Rohleder ’11, ’11, Sept. 12, 2015. Eric Woodside ’13 and Elizabeth Koch ’13, Oct. 3, 2015. Craig Zerr ’13 and Hannah Wildeman, Aug. 22, 2015.

BIRTHS 1990s Brian Gerstner ’01 and Janella Mildrexler ’96, ’02, Loveland, Colo., a boy, Maxwell Joe Myron, March 30, 2015.

2000s

Aug. 28, 2014. Joshua and Lauren ’07 (Hubbard) Maska, Wichita, a girl, Kennady Kay, Feb. 9, 2015. Kory and Jessica ’09, ’15 (Riedel) Pfeifer, Hays, a boy, Bo William, Nov. 4, 2015. Jeff ’07 and Tara ’06, ’06 (Wendell) Pruitt, Beloit, a girl, Rielynn Bernadine, June 30, 2015.

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1940s Phyllis A. (Nichol) Brumbaugh

’49, Logan, Nov. 3, 2015. Marvin J. Dumler ’47, Loveland, Colo., Oct. 5, 2015. Geraldine (Daniel) Nucho ’45, Ridley Park, Pa., Nov. 11, 2015. William C. “Tom” Shook ’49, Liberal, Dec. 15, 2015. Marjorie (Butler) Simons ’42, ’62, Sun City, Ariz., Nov. 6, 2015.

1970s Richard L. Bisterfeldt ’72,

Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 22, 2015. Larry L. Conrardy ’76, Wichita,

Oct. 10, 2015. Dean Erwin ’72, Uniontown,

Sept. 2, 2015. Betty E. Gower ’71, Agra,

Sept. 24, 2015. Maurice J. “Morris” Haberman

’70, Great Bend, Nov. 2, 2015. Raymond S. King ’70, ’77,

1950s Arden L. Cronn ’51, WaKeeney,

Oct. 18, 2015. Elaine D. (Horyna) Heinlein ’55,

Garden Grove, Calif., Sept. 9, 2015. Joseph E. Hubbard ’51, ’61, Osborne, Sept. 14, 2015. Wayne M. Mann ’56, Quinter, Oct. 25, 2015. Joan (Pennington) Owens ’54, Sioux Falls, S.D., Aug. 29, 2015. Anthony “Red” Pfeifer Jr. ’59, ’71, Hays, Oct. 20, 2015. Wilfred A. “Will” Sander ’59, Victoria, Nov. 13, 2015. Dennis D. Simmonds ’57, Los Alamos, N.M., Dec. 9, 2015.

Rose Hill, July 5, 2015. Abbie L. (Knox) Miller ’72,

Great Bend, Nov. 27, 2015. Linda Jo (Shaw) Miller ’71, Rose Hill, Aug. 1, 2015. Linda S. (Tittle) Pelzel ’70, Cassville, Mo., Oct. 1, 2015. Thomas W. Runge ’78, ’81, Hays, Nov. 14, 2015. Leland W. “Lee” Tillberg ’70, Newton, Sept. 25, 2015.

1980s Carolyn B. (Bradford) Bird ’88,

’88, ’90, Hays, Oct. 28, 2015. Dwayne C. Rein ’88, Lakin, Aug.

4, 2015. Doveta “D. Ann” Squier ’82,

Lawrence, Aug. 26, 2015.

Jerome ’09 and Angela (Masetti) Schmeidler, Hays, a girl, Evangeline Joan, Aug. 26, 2015. Adam ’08, ’08 and Alicia Slingsby, Clay Center, a boy, Emerson Jude, May 10, 2015. Brian ’10 and Alicia ’03, ’10 (Adams) Weber, Garden City, a girl, Arabella Michelle,

Nov. 11, 2015. Dustin ’03 and Jessica ’03 (Stein) Herrs, Salina, a boy, Elijah Allen,

IN MEMORY

2010s Taylor ’13 and Danielle ’11 (Robben) Lang, Victoria, a girl, Jentrie Katherine,

Aug. 19, 2015. Trent ’13 and Chelsea ’12 (Fieler) Mauler, Hoisington, a girl, Halle Ann, July 7, 2015. Joseph ’10 and Jenna (Gottschalk) Princ, Osborne, a boy, Jaxton Dale, Aug. 19, 2015.

1960s

1990s

Robert M. Bomgardner ’60,

Wichita, Sept. 30, 2015. Michael E. Johnson ’69, Courtland,

Sept. 14, 2015. Norwin C. Kohls ’63, Cottonwood,

Ariz., Oct. 13, 2015. David Lindahl ’62, Mission Viejo, Calif., Nov. 20, 2015. James E. Matson ’66, Wichita, Sept. 18, 2015. Roger J. Oliverius ’61, ’66, Rush Center, Oct. 6, 2015. David F. Parker ’63, ’68, Escondido, Calif., July 7, 2015. Judy (Leas) Swail ’64, ’65, Placentia, Calif., Oct. 4, 2015. Garry C. Thaete ’66, Henderson, Nev., Sept. 23, 2015.

Wilma J. (Rupp) Hoover ’92, Hays,

Nov. 16, 2015. Gloria A. (Scheck) McCormick

’92, Hays, Nov. 15, 2015. Chad L. Medina ’96, ’96, Portland,

Ore., Sept. 21, 2015.

2010s Malorie S. (Pasek) Hamlin ’13,

Russell, Nov. 1, 2015.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS You can make a difference Proceeds from the Tiger Generational T-shirt project provide scholarships for students at FHSU. To date, more than 50 Tiger Generational Scholarships have been awarded since the program’s inception in 2011. Any and all alumni who hold paid membership in the Alumni Association are eligible for their legacy students to apply for scholarship consideration. Your purchase of shirts truly makes a difference in the lives of today’s students. Shirts may be ordered online at www.goforthaysstate.com/tigergifts2015. Thank you for your support of FHSU students.

Seven of the 23 recipients of Tiger Generational Scholarships for 2015-16 are pictured following a scholarship reception. Back (L to R): Dalton Steinert, Otis; Madison Macari, Augusta; Katherine Rabe, Spearville; Kellen Griffin, Hays; and Monica Michaud, Hays. Front (L to R): Megan Thornburg, Scott City, and Callan Rice, Scott City. “My mom and dad both attended FHSU, as well as my mom’s sister, both of her brothers and all of their spouses. My grandpa also attended, making me a third-generation Tiger. This scholarship is helping me to graduate without any student loans and makes my education here at FHSU even more affordable.” – Kellen Griffin, Hays junior majoring in mathematics and secondary education

“This scholarship means a lot to me – any help that I can get to assist me in paying for my education is money that will be well spent! I’m a dedicated student and have the ambition to continue learning. This scholarship is making it possible to reach my goals, and for that I thank you for selecting me to receive the Generational Scholarship!” – Megan Thornburg, Scott City sophomore majoring in medical diagnostic imaging

Alumni mentors needed for Fall 2016 and beyond The FHSU Alumni Association is launching a university-wide freshman mentoring program in the fall of 2016, and we need your help! Studies have shown that students who feel a stronger connection to their university are more likely to be successful. That’s where you come in. As a mentor to a first-time freshman, you will be asked to take an active role in helping a student’s transition to becoming an FHSU Tiger. Whether it is placing a call, sending a text or, if possible, going out to lunch or sending a care package, your actions will show your student what it means to be a member of the Tiger family. For student safety, mentors will be asked to undergo background screening. They will also complete a profile that will help the university match mentors and protégés with similar interests. Prior to the program kick-off, mentors will have the opportunity

to go through a brief training where a host of materials to answer any question that may come up will be available. Are you ready to sign up? If so, please fill out the Mentor Interest form online at www.goforthaysstate.com/mentorinterest.

Upon receipt, the Alumni office will provide information on the program. Know of someone who would be a great mentor? Let us know by contacting us at alumni@fhsu.edu or by calling 785-628-4430.

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Let's fill in the map The Alumni Association is proud to sponsor the official state of Kansas Tiger Tag program. Tag sales support the Tiger Generational Scholarship (established in 2011 to support the first and second generation legacies of FHSU alumni) as well as programs that recognize student achievement and provide student opportunities. Since 1999, this program has generated more than $90,000. With almost 600 Tiger plates on the road, FHSU very much appreciates those who support FHSU and the Tiger educational license tag program. In fact, 75 Kansas counties currently report sales of Tiger tags; however, we would like to see them on vehicles in every county in the state. “How can I get one?” you ask. Easy. Simply take your renewal form from the state of Kansas, your current plate, registration, and insurance card and make your request known to your local tag department clerk, who will complete the necessary certificate. In addition to a $30.00 annual royalty fee used to fund the scholarship program, you will need to pay a one-time special plate issuance state fee of $45.50, and applicable tag/tax fees. In turn, the state treasurer’s office submits a monthly report to the Alumni Association and remits the dollars designated for the Tiger Generational Scholarship fund, minus a small administrative fee.

Then to renew your tag next year, included in your annual statement will be your $30.00 donation to the FHSU Alumni Association for being a FHSU plate holder. You may renew directly in the treasurer’s office, online at www.kswebtags.org or by mail. A reminder, too, that a FREE Tiger license plate is available for those who hold Gold, Diamond and Platinum alumni memberships, who are Kansas residents, and who donate a minimum of $75.00 per

year to the FHSU Foundation’s unrestricted or general scholarship fund. You still have to pay the applicable Kansas tag fees, but the annual royalty fee of $30.00 to the Alumni Association is waived. If you are interested or have questions regarding eligibility, contact the FHSU Alumni office. For more information, visit www.goforthaysstate.com/tigertags or call 1-888-351-3591.

Pack your bags Treat yourself to a trip of a lifetime on one of the Alumni Association’s upcoming 2016 FHSU Feature Tours to Ireland, Italy or a cruise to Colonial America, New England and Canada. In partnership with Please Go AwayTM vacations, the Alumni Association is pleased to offer these feature tours for those bitten by the travel bug. Enjoy all-inclusive pricing with no need to incur additional expenses for optional sightseeing; travel protection insurance; special Tiger alumni savings that extend to every member of your travel party; and an exclusive 100-percent reservation deposit refund guarantee. Visit www.goforthaysstate.com/travelingtigers for more information. Come see the world with us.

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Calendar 2016 March

April

2 South Central KS Chapter – Wine 101: A Wine Tasting Event, Rolling Hills Country Club, Wichita

3 -6 2016 MIAA Men & Women’s Basketball Tournament/Tiger Parties, Johnny’s Tavern, Kansas City, Mo. 7 Encore Series: The Count Basie Orchestra, Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, Hays 1 1-14 NCAA Men & Women’s Basketball Tournament (regionals), campus host sites 14-20 Spring Break 23 Encore Series: Intergalactic Nemesis Live-Action Graphic Novel: Robot Planet Rising, Beach/Schmidt PAC

6 Encore Series: The River: ETHEL & Robert Mirabal, Beach/Schmidt PAC

23 Tiger Gathering in Phoenix, Ariz., Location TBA

23 Tiger Gathering in San Diego, Calif., Location TBA

1 5-17 FHSU Rodeo Club Reunion – 50th Anniversary, Hays

24 Tiger Gathering in San Francisco, Calif, Location TBA

16 South Central KS Chapter – Tiger Day at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Wichita

28 GradFest, Eagle Communications Hall, Robbins Center, campus

19 Half Century Club – Night Out with the Glenn Miller Orchestra Stiefel Theatre, Salina

29 McGuire Golf Tournament, Smoky Hill Country Club, Hays

20 Encore Series: Annie, Beach/Schmidt PAC

6 Half Century Club Spring Reception, Eagle Communications Hall, Robbins Center, campus

21 Tiger Gathering in Albuquerque, N.M., Location TBA 22 Tiger Gathering in Las Vegas, Nev., Location TBA

May

13 Graduate/Faculty Luncheon, Fort Hays Ballroom, FHSU Memorial Union

13 Commencement, colleges of Business & Entrepreneurship; Education; and Science, Technology, and Mathematics, Gross Memorial Coliseum, campus 14

Commencement, colleges of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Health and Behavioral Sciences, Gross Memorial Coliseum, campus

June 1 7-18 Alumni Board of Directors Meeting, Robbins Center, campus

Visit www.goforthaysstate.com/events for more information and to register.

Introducing KAMS Summer Academy Camps These one-week residential camps are designed for high school freshmen and sophomores. For more information, visit www.fhsu.edu/kams/Summer-Camps or call 785-628-4168. To learn more about the Academy or to schedule a visit, contact us at: Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science 600 Park Street • Hays, KS 67601 • kams@fhsu.edu • www.fhsu.edu/kams 22 FHSU MAGAZINE SPRING 2016 Phone: 785-628-4690 • Fax: 785-628-4077

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6 every.

gift. matters. Tuition and state funding do not cover everything.

Our students need your support.

Make a gift in support of student scholarships or whatever area youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re most passionate about at Fort Hays State by visiting http://foundation.fhsu.edu.

785.628.5620

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Robbins Center â&#x20AC;&#x201C; One Tiger Place Hays, KS 67601-3767

Non-profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID FULTON, MO PERMIT 38

Become a Sebelius Lecture Series Patron Fort Hays State University is proud to present the Sebelius Lecture Series in honor of former United States Representative and FHSU graduate Keith Sebelius. The Sebelius Lecture Series is sponsored by approximately 200 patrons each year. Patrons are invited to an exclusive luncheon with speakers on the day of the lecture. Additionally, all patrons are recognized for their support in the event program at each lecture. Patron memberships are $150 per person. All memberships are tax-deductible, minus benefits received. Become a Patron today!

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To become a Keith Sebelius Lecture Series patron, visit www.fhsu.edu/sebelius or call 785-628-5308.

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