Roar Magazine Vol. 8 / Issue 2 / Spring/Summer 2024

ROAR FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

Vol. 8, Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2024

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Meet Luis Valencia Zamora Luis Valencia Zamora grew up in Leoti, Kan. As a student at FHSU, he has received numerous awards, including outstanding freshman, the Presser Scholar Award, top honors in the West Central NATS conference, and was chosen as soloist for the concerto competition. After graduating from FHSU with a bachelor of music performance in the spring of 2024, he will attend the University of Northern Colorado and pursue a master’s in vocal performance.

“My voice was the one thing that I had while growing up. I never allowed my voice to be silenced through the hardships and trials I have been through," he said. "I want to teach others to find their voice and the influence they can have with it. The human experience is best portrayed by singers who understand their voice and its purpose.

I want to provide the human experience and teach it as well.”

Throughout his time at FHSU, Luis said he found his voice and a family that helped foster a hard work ethic and a sense of belonging.

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FHSU will always be my home. I’m glad to have spent the years that I attended here fine-tuning my craft."

CONTENTS

ROAR MAGAZINE | Vol. 8, Issue 2 | SPRING/SUMMER 2024

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Features

12 LESSONS LEARNED

Tigers Women's Basketball Head Coach Talia Kahrs reflects on her first year

16 UNEARTHING HISTORY

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16

The legacy of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History

22 BEYOND GAMING

An FHSU student's journey of faith and service to others

26 GENERATIONS CONNECT

FHSU alum and students dig deep into geological exploration

30 FISH WIZARDS

Exploring the wonders of Kansas' native fish

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34 FROM MICRO-INTERNSHIPS TO TECH INCUBATION

FHSU's CITI is pioneering new pathways for small businesses and student success

36 FORSYTH LIBRARY'S NEXT CHAPTER

The nearly $28M renovation has begun

40 FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE AIRWAVES

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36

Victor E. History Podcast uncovers compelling narratives

43 LEAVING THEIR MARK Ed and Mary Hammond are leaving half of their estate to Fort Hays State University

Departments

40 ON OUR COVER: The Sternberg family's legacy dates back to decades of fossil hunting in Western Kansas. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FORSYTH LIBRARY ARCHIVES

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02 FROM THE EDITOR 03 CAMPUS NEWS 06 TIGER ATHLETICS 44 ALUMNI NEWS 46 TIGER NOTES FHSU.EDU

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FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dear Tiger Nation, Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of ROAR Magazine. Today is May 10. It’s a clear, sunny, and remarkably windless Friday in Hays, America. When I arrived at Sheridan Hall this morning, I found ample parking around nearly all our campus buildings. My office looks out over the Quad, and when I cracked my window, the lack of the usual buzz of voices, the chaotic audio of videos playing on cell phones, and the rhythmic pulse of sprinklers and lawnmowers were unmistakable.

The sound of silence prevails across campus this morning because the actual center of activity is not the Quad or around nearby Picken and McCartney Halls; it is over at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Today is the Friday of commencement weekend, and the first of two celebrations begins in about 30 minutes.

By about 10:00 a.m., the first commencement ceremony will be over, and the welcome noise of a vibrant college campus at work will return to the Quad. I know that when I look out my window at around that time, I will see and hear gatherings of our graduates, their families, and faculty and staff members who helped them get to this milestone day in their lives, taking pictures near our most memorable campus landmarks. There is nothing quite like the joy that this day brings to our students and their families.

Days like today serve as a powerful reminder of the great work we do at Fort Hays State University. We transform lives and nurture the next generation of engaged global citizen leaders that our world needs. Soon, the graduates of 2024 will begin the next phase of their personal and professional lives. And in the years to come, we can share stories about their remarkable accomplishments here in ROAR Magazine.

In this issue of ROAR Magazine, you will meet or reconnect with members of our vast Tiger Nation who are making a difference in this world. I hope you enjoy the stories that profile our first-year women’s basketball coach, alums, and volunteers chronicling fish species across Kansas, and a retired family physician and FHSU alum from Ellsworth who discovered ash deposits on his property from a volcanic eruption approximately 610,000 years ago. You will also find stories in the following pages about the Sternberg Museum’s 25th-anniversary celebration and a major renovation project underway at Forsyth Library.

As always, the University Communications team and I welcome any feedback and content suggestions to improve this magazine. You can contact us at FHSUNews@fhsu.edu.

Warm regards,

Scott Cason

Scott Cason Chief Communications Officer

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INTRODUCTIONS

CAMPUS NEWS

Editor in Chief Scott Cason Creative Director Stocks Creative Managing Editor Boyce Durr Senior Editor Dawne Leiker Writers Scott Cason Alicia Feyerherm Cynthia Landis Dawne Leiker Hollie Marquess Janette Meis Ian Treventhan Photographers Will Burns Alicia Feyerherm Dawne Leiker Contributors FHSU Alumni Office FHSU Athletics FHSU Foundation

ROAR Magazine is published twice a year (fall and spring)

by Fort Hays State University’s Office of University Communications.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the FHSU Alumni Office, One Tiger Place, Hays, KS 67601

CONNECT Fort Hays State University @FortHaysState @FortHaysState FortHaysState

FHSU celebrates the groundbreaking of a nearly $28 million Forsyth Library renovation

Fort Hays State University celebrated the upcoming renovation of Forsyth Library with a groundbreaking ceremony on April 2, 2024. A packed crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of plans for the library’s nearly $28 million transformation.

Construction will begin this summer with initial work on the front foyer and south entrance. Phased construction with PGAV Architects out of Kansas City and PWC in Hays as general contractor will continue for about two years, with completion expected in summer 2026.

FHSU earns recertification for online learning programs Fort Hays State University earned the renewal of its five-year United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Quality Standards certification. The announcement of the recertification comes after an extensive 91-point quality review self-inspection and a site visit by a team of USDLA examiners. USDLA’s Standards of Practice recertification evaluation focused on FHSU Online’s administrative, student support, infrastructure, leadership, management, and teaching and learning practices.

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CAMPUS NEWS

FHSU hosts rural workforce development “think tank” gathering Higher education, civic, and economic development leaders from Western Kansas gathered on the campus of Fort Hays State University on May 1, 2024, for a wide-ranging discussion that explored potential opportunities for strengthening relationships between higher education and workforce development in Western Kansas.

Fort Hays State University and strategic affiliation initiative partners North Central Kansas Technical College and Northwest Kansas Technical College hosted the event.

A major and immediate next step in the FHSU, NCK Tech, and Northwest Tech Strategic Affiliation initiative, bolstered by the day’s think tank discussion with regional economic development partners, will be crafting a response to an invitation from the Kansas Department of Commerce

to submit a FORGE grant proposal. The Kansas Fostering Opportunities for Research, Growth, and Entrepreneurship (FORGE) program supports and accelerates innovative activities at state universities to create new economic activity in Kansas.

FHSU recognized as Military Friendly School for 2024-25 For the 17th consecutive year, FHSU has been recognized for its investment in programs that improve the lives of veterans and military personnel, earning the 2024-2025 Military Friendly School “Silver” designation from militaryfriendly.com.

AUPP team wins 2024 Faulkner Challenge

“Farmily,” an entrepreneurial business plan created by four students from the American University of Phnom Penh (AUPP), an FHSU partner university, won first place at the 2024 Faulkner Challenge for a Better Future at Fort Hays State University.

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FHSU and Kansas Association of Community Colleges partner to address critical nursing shortage United in their commitment to addressing the critical shortage of nursing professionals in Kansas and the nation, Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason, along with the presidents of 19 Kansas community colleges, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) January 18 on a new guaranteed admission program ensuring Kansas community college Registered Nursing program graduates admission to FHSU. The event took place in the State Capitol Building in Topeka. Senate Majority Leader Larry Allen, state Senator Rick Billinger, and state Representatives Barbara Wasinger, Ken Rahjes, Dr. Bill Clifford, and Dr. Ron Bryce also attended the signing ceremony.

Eileen Veatch named next FHSU Poet Laureate In April, Eileen Veatch was announced as the next FHSU Poet Laureate. She is an English major with a concentration in literature. She works as a tier-one technician at United School District 489, and teaches dance at Spotlight Studio (in Hays). Veatch, who won second place in the 2024 Hays Public Library poetry contest, said she looks forward to her time as the FHSU Poet Laureate.

“To me, being the next FHSU Poet Laureate is giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to spread not only my love for but information about poetry,” Veatch said. “Poetry is such a fascinating way to connect with others as well as your own emotions, and I can’t wait to see how I grow from this position.”

The FHSU Poet Laureate program was created during the pandemic by Linda McHenry and Linda Smith. Each poet laureate is selected based on a selection of written materials chosen by the committee, followed by an interview with the committee.

FHSU earns reaffirmation of HLC accreditation In early April of this year, Fort Hays State University announced the reaffirmation of its accreditation by the Institutional Actions Council (IAC) of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This significant achievement underscores the university’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence and student success.

The accreditation reaffirmation process, which occurs on a 10-year cycle through the HLC, involved a comprehensive review of Fort Hays State University’s academic programs, faculty qualifications, student support services, and institutional resources. In addition to reaffirming FHSU’s accreditation, the HLC noted that all criteria were fully met, setting the next review cycle for 2033-34.

FHSU professor honored as Kansas Counselor of the Year Dr. Reade Dowda, FHSU associate professor of advanced education programs, was named Kansas Counselor of the Year at the 2024 Kansas Counseling Association Conference. CACREP serves as an institutional degree-specific accreditation that reviews professional preparation programs. Dowda’s work as a liaison involves helping his department meet student-to-faculty ratios, aligning his program with CACREP standards, and preparing many reports.

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TIGER ATHLETICS

WINTER SPORTS

FACES TO KNOW OLIVIA HOLLENBECK WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Olivia Hollenbeck is a four-time All-MIAA selection at Fort Hays State, earning a third-team selection during the 202324 season. She now ranks 10th on the all-time scoring list at FHSU with 1,402 points as she became the 25th player in the program’s history to reach the 1,000-point mark. She and teammate Katie Wagner, the 2023-24 MIAA Player of the Year, both rank among the Top 10 in scoring in the program’s history, and both players plan to return for a fifth year in 2024-25 as they work on their master’s degrees. Hollenbeck is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection.

KALEB HAMMEKE MEN’S BASKETBALL

Kaleb Hammeke is a four-time All-MIAA selection at Fort Hays State, earning first-team honors each of the last two seasons. He also earned NABC All-District Second Team honors for the Central Region each of the last two seasons.

Hammeke has 1,559 points in his career at FHSU, ranking fifth alltime in scoring. He’ll return for a fifth year in 2024-25, just 207 points shy of the school record for scoring. Hammeke also ranks fourth on the career assists list with 441. He is only the third player in FHSU Men’s Basketball history to have at least 1,500 points and 400 assists in a career, joining Raymond Lee and Mark Wilson.

TEREUS HENRY WRESTLING

Tereus Henry was the lone individual from the men’s wrestling team to qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships in 2023-24. Henry finished the season with a record of 28-9. He earned All-America honors the year prior with a third-place finish at nationals when he finished 38-4 overall. Henry has an overall record of 121-32 in his time at FHSU, a win percentage of .791.

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Wagner named MIAA’s top female athlete for 2024

Tiger Women’s Basketball standout Katie Wagner was named the 2024 Ken B. Jones Award recipient, presented by Summit Pointe Financial Group. This award recognizes the MIAA's top female and male student-athletes from the academic year.

Wagner is the third FHSU student-athlete to win the Ken B. Jones Award, joining Kate Lehman (Women's Basketball, 2015) and Ryan Stanley (Men's Track & Field, 2023).

Wagner posted a tremendous junior season, earning MIAA Player of the Year honors. She was an All-America selection by the WBCA, an All-Central Region First Team selection by D2CCA, an All-MIAA First Team, and MIAA All-Defensive Team selection.

She was also named the MIAA Tournament's Most Valuable Player.

H AY D E N A L B R I G H T MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Hayden Albright completed his fourth year with the FHSU track and field team. He was a member of FHSU’s distance medley relay team that earned All-America honors at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships by setting a new school record time. Albright is a four-time All-America performer in sprints, earning honors in the indoor 400 meters in 2023, as well as a member of the indoor distance medley relay team in 2024 and the outdoor 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams in 2021. He is a two-time MIAA champion as a member of relay teams, and a seven-time All-MIAA performer overall. He has also earned CSC Academic All-America First Team honors and is a six-time MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.

ANNABETH BAALMANN WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Annabeth Baalmann had a breakout year for the FHSU women’s track and field team. She earned All-America First Team honors during the indoor season of 2024 with an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. She set a new indoor record for women’s pole vault at FHSU, clearing 13-feet, 0.75-inches. She became the first-ever 13-foot pole vaulter in FHSU women’s track and field history. Baalmann also set a new outdoor school record in 2024, clearing 12-feet, 11.5-inches at the Central Nebraska Challenge and went on to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships as well. She is only in her second year with the program.

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TIGER ATHLETICS

SPRING SPORTS

FACES TO KNOW GRANT BRADLEY

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Grant Bradley is a four-time All-MIAA performer at Fort Hays State, twice as a member of the distance medley relay team, and individually in the 3000 meters and 3000-meter steeplechase. He earned his first All-America honor during the indoor season in 2024 as a member of the distance medley relay team as they finished sixth nationally and set a new school record time. He also set a new school record for the 3,000 meters during the 2024 indoor season. During the 2024 outdoor season, he ran the fastest 3000-meter steeplechase time in the program’s NCAA Division II history, going subnine minutes three times. He placed eighth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 3000-meter steeplechase to earn his second All-America honor of the season.

T A Y L O R S A V O LT

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Taylor Savolt is a five-time national qualifier and threetime All-America performer for Fort Hays State. She earned All-America status during the 2024 indoor season in the pentathlon and was an All-America performer during the 2023 outdoor season in the 400-meter hurdles. To cap her career, Savolt earned All-America honors in the 400-meter hurdles once again at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She is a seven-time All-MIAA performer and a fourtime MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient. She has also been part of 4x400-meter relay teams that broke both the indoor and outdoor records at FHSU.

IRINA ALFONSO TENNIS

Irina Alfonso has been one of the strongest performers in women’s tennis for Fort Hays State in her three years with the program. She has won 24 matches in singles and doubles combined during the 2023-24 season to lead FHSU and has a total of 49 wins over three years with the program.

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BRADY KREUTZER BASEBALL

Brady Kreutzer had a breakout season for Fort Hays State baseball, finishing the season with 33 extra-base hits. He never had more than six extra-base hits in his previous two seasons. The Hays native finished with 12 home runs, 14 doubles, and seven triples. The seven triples tied the FHSU single-season record set by Dave Nehls back in 1986. He drove in 47 runs and scored a team-high 55 runs, while leading the team in batting average at .332. He was a perfect 9-of-9 on stolen base attempts for the season. Kreutzer helped the Tiger baseball team to their first MIAA Tournament appearance since the 2013 season as the team completed its second season under the guidance of head coach Justin Wichert. Kreutzer was an All-MIAA Third Team selection in the outfield for the 2024 season.

COOPER SCHECK MEN'S GOLF

Cooper Scheck earned All-MIAA Honors in his first season at Fort Hays State by finishing 15th in the individual points standings for conference tournaments. Scheck finished in the top 15 at three of the four conference mandatory events. He led FHSU in stroke average for the season at 73.4 per round and shot 4-under par in rounds twice.

P E Y TO N S H E PA R D SOFTBALL

Peyton Shepard continued her strong offensive production for FHSU Softball in the second season of her collegiate career. She led the team in batting average, runs scored, and stolen bases for the second-straight season. Shepard was an All-MIAA Second Team selection as an outfielder in 2023 as a freshman, then earned an honorable mention selection in 2024. Last year she earned the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA, and also earned MIAA Scholar-Athlete and NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors. She helped the Tigers to an MIAA Tournament appearance for the second straight year.

SHAUNA LEE WOMEN’S GOLF

Shauna Lee is in her third year with the FHSU Women’s Golf program. Lee had one top-10 finish during the 2023-24 season and has two in her career at FHSU. Her lowest round shot as a Tiger was a 72 during her freshman year at the MIAA Championship.

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An Anatomage Table in action

Pulse of Progress FHSU Cadaver Lab Update

When you look at factors that determine a community’s strength, one of the most critical is access to healthcare. It means babies can be born in our communities and seniors can remain in their homes. Recruiting, training, and retaining medical professionals is becoming more and more difficult — especially within our region. The best recruitment tool is to grow our own. Hands-on learning opportunities combined with advanced technology and up-to-date resources are vital to ensure that can happen.

Fort Hays State University is committed to training professionals who will later enhance the communities in which they work and live. We offer students a range of on-campus resources and hands-on learning opportunities, including our cadaver lab located in Albertson Hall. FHSU is committed to restoring the deteriorated and outdated space with improved equipment and leading technology. As part of the cadaver lab renovation, Fort Hays State plans to purchase an Anatomage Table to simulate and visualize human cadaver dissections. These tables are being adopted by many of the world's leading medical schools and institutions as they offer the most technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization, as pictured above.

A wide variety of educational disciplines utilize and tour the on-campus cadaver lab including students studying biology, human anatomy, health and human performance, allied health, chemistry, and nursing.

An upgraded space and equipment will not only significantly improve the quality of education provided, but will be instrumental in helping to recruit aspiring medical professionals to FHSU — students who will then stay in our region and start their careers here.

Fort Hays State University trains some of the best and brightest, boasting a medical school entry rate of 48%, higher than the national average of 40 - 45% and KU’s 47%. Investing in FHSU’s cadaver lab is paying forward an educational opportunity for students driven to become our next generation of healthcare professionals.

You can help make the cadaver lab renovation project possible for our students by making a gift to FHSU in one of the following ways: Check: Make payable to the FHSU Foundation with “cadaver lab” written in the memo line and mail to the FHSU Foundation, PO Box 1060, Hays, KS 67601

Credit/Debit Card or PayPal/Venmo: Make your gift online at foundation.fhsu.edu/cadaver-lab

785-628-5620

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foundation@fhsu.edu

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foundation.fhsu.edu

Lessons Learned O STORY BY SCOTT CASON

N APRIL 13, 2023,

after 11 seasons as an assistant coach, Talia Kahrs officially replaced her mentor, legendary Tigers Women's Basketball coach Tony Hobson. As Coach Hobson prepared to retire, he shared his thoughts about the coach who would soon replace him in a Tiger Athletics press release.

"I really believe in Talia,” Hobson said. “I know she has the players' respect, and I think that is of utmost importance. As much as I think of her as a coach, I think even more highly of her as a person."

In her first season, the Tigers posted a 25-8 season record, an appearance in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Association tournament championship game, and selection to the 2023 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball national tournament.

Looking back on her first year at the helm of the Tiger Women's Basketball team, Talia points to five factors she thinks have directly contributed to her program's success this season.

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Tige rs Wo me n's B asket b a ll He ad C oach

TA L IA K AHR S Refle ct s o n He r First Ye a r

1

LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE GAME

TALIA KAHRS GREW UP IN TRYON, NEBRASKA, where she was that kid who always seemed to have a ball in her hand.

"When my parents took me to the toy store, I always went right for the ball cage," Talia recalls. She turned her passion for any competition involving a ball into a storied prep career that included consideration for McDonald’s All-American honors, recognition as the North Platte Telegraph Area Player of the Year multiple times, and selection as an all-state athlete in both basketball and volleyball.

Basketball was always her first love, and she began her collegiate career at Hastings College Nebraska, where an ACL tear forced her to redshirt in her first collegiate season in 2007-08. Despite the injury, her competitive nature, basketball intelligence, and maturity impressed Coach Hobson so much that he brought her with him to join the roster of his first squad when he accepted the head coaching position at FHSU. She would go on to play 52 games in three seasons for the Tigers in a career that saw her lose playing time to a series of injuries.

Those injuries would eventually drive Talia to make a decision she dreaded.

With her playing days now over, should she walk away from the game that had been a part of her life for close to 15 years, or could she find a way to stay connected to the sport? She just wasn't ready to step away yet, and thankfully, Coach Hobson helped her with that difficult decision when he offered her the opportunity to serve as a student assistant coach in her final year of college (2011-12). She would stay with Coach Hobson and in that role until she took over in 2023.

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3 TEAM CULTURE

"TONY WORKED HARD to make sure he left our program in a very strong position," Talia said. "When I took over, our core roster was stacked with great kids who also happened to be talented student-athletes."

The secret to Hobson and Kahrs's successes, including appearances in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament in eight of the last ten years, lies in the recruitment and retention of this kind of student-athlete. Finding the student-athletes who fit the team culture Kahrs desires begins with scouting.

"The first thing I look for is how a player interacts with their teammates, coaches, officials, and family," Talia said. "It's pretty easy to find basketball talent, but finding a student-athlete who embodies the values of our program will always be our goal."

Talia and her players want to recruit future Tigers who will become best friends with their teammates - the kind of friends who go on to be in each other's wedding.

Two of Talia’s upperclassmen exemplify the kind of student-athletes the program draws. Junior Katie Wagner is often the hardest-working player on the team and a fierce competitor. "Katie quietly leads by example on and off the court," Talia said. This past season, Katie was an NCAA Division II Coaches' All-America honorable mention selection, one of only 40 players in Division II to earn All-America honors.

Fellow junior Olivia Hollenbeck provides more vocal leadership to the squad.

Coach Kahrs looks to the three-time allMIAA selectee to help her maintain the focus and intensity of the team when the going gets tough.

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THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME

TALIA DIDN'T SEE HERSELF AS A HEAD COACH until around three or four years ago.

She had become comfortable in her role as the lead assistant. She and Coach Hobson provided balanced leadership for the team, with her acting as the encourager-in-chief and he as the more direct and intense of the two.

As she gained experience, she also began to see why Coach Hobson would sometimes distance himself a bit from the players. At first, she attributed this to the uniqueness of his personality, but since taking over as head coach, she's begun to see it as necessary at times.

“One of the first things you learn when you become a head coach is that the buck has to stop with you," Talia said. "There are times when I have to make decisions that might not pass a consensus vote of the team, and I have learned to trust in my judgment, own my decisions, and move forward with confidence once I've made a decision."

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THE NCAA DIVISION II EXPERIENCE

TOP HIGH SCHOOL-AGE STUDENTATHLETES ARE OFTEN TOLD that NCAA Division I sports are the only place to take their game to the next level. What frequently goes unsaid is that the quality of competition varies significantly among the 362 Division I colleges and 25 athletic conferences. Talia learned long ago how to counter the perception of Division I supremacy.

"I tell prospective student-athletes and their parents if they choose FHSU, they have a much better opportunity to compete for national championships, All-America honors, and selection as conference players of the year," Talia said. "We are blessed with more resources, facilities, and financial support than many NCAA Division I programs. I believe our program would compete very well in several NCAA Division I conferences."

Caption

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Coaches Tony Hobson, Talia Kahrs, and Paige Lundsford

THE TIGER NATION

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE SUCCESS of FHSU Women's Basketball under Coach Kahrs's leadership has been the passionate support of the Tiger Nation. Nightly attendance at FHSU basketball games far exceeds most NCAA Division I and Division II. In a year that saw explosion in fan interest in women's college basketball, including a 2024 NCAA Division I Women's national championship that drew 24 million TV viewers (a number greater than the viewership of the men's championship game), attendance at FHSU games still ranked in the top 75 across all NCAA divisions.

"The atmosphere in Gross Memorial Coliseum is electric, and it fuels our competitiveness every night," Talia said. "If I can get a prospective student-athlete to one of our home games, that can pretty much close the deal."

By any measure, Talia Kahrs's first year as head coach was an unqualified success.

The foundation she and Coach Hobson built is thriving under her leadership. Talia knows the pathway to ensuring the program's continued success will be challenging. Today's student-athletes are more media and social media savvy and more focused than ever on ensuring they see the playing time and recognition they believe they deserve. The marked

increase over the past three years in the number of NCAA student-athletes choosing to use the transfer portal to seek better opportunities elsewhere is evidence of this trend.

"Adaptability will be the key in the years ahead," Talia said. Even after factoring in the undeniable recent changes in college athletics, what won't change at FHSU and what Talia believes will always appeal to the kind of player she recruits are the things that have fueled success at FHSU for years - passionate love and respect for the game of basketball, a compelling team culture, top-to-bottom accountability, the quality of NCAA Division II competition, and the unmatched appeal of playing in front of a raucous Tiger Nation.

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UNEARTHING

Th e l e g a cy o f the S t e r n b e rg Mus e u m o f N a t u r a l H i s to ry STORY BY IAN J. TREVETHAN

Ian Trevethan currently serves as the Paleontology Operations Manager at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Prior to this, Ian served as the museum’s Education and Outreach Director for nearly nine years. Ian earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Sciences from Montana State University and a Master of Science in Geology from Fort Hays State University.

His research interests include cranial variation and sexual dimorphism in dinosaur skulls, as well as thermophysiology of mosasaurs, via stable isotope geochemistry.

HISTORY A

s the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Sternberg Museum in its current form approached, I found myself thinking about the legacy we share as FHSU students, alumni, staff, and faculty. The evolution of the Sternberg Museum is a piece of that legacy and one that I am humbled to be a part of, having spent the last fourteen years educating the public about the natural history of our region. I consider myself a storyteller…. but the stories I convey are true. The story of the Sternberg is in the name: Sternberg and museum. The first part of the story is about the Sternberg family and their presence in Kansas. The second part of the story is about the evolution of the museum itself.

Left: George F. Sternberg with mammoth fossil.

Above, Center: Sternberg Museum of Natural History today.

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The Ster nberg family in Kansas

T

he story of the Sternberg family’s presence in Kansas begins with Dr. George Miller Sternberg, U.S. Army surgeon and veteran of the United States Civil War, Indian Wars, and Spanish-American War. After the Civil War, Dr. Sternberg remained in the Army as a surgeon and was transferred to Western Kansas in 1866. He was stationed at Fort Harker (in present-day Kanopolis) in Ellsworth County. A severe cholera outbreak occurred in 1867, in which 75 people died at the fort - one of whom was Sternberg’s own wife, Louisa. Despite enduring this tragedy, he purchased ranch land in Ellsworth County and brought his entire family to Kansas, including his 17-year-old brother, Charles.

During his career, Dr. Sternberg documented the sources of malaria and lobar pneumonia in 1881, and in 1886, he confirmed the roles of bacilli in both tuberculosis and typhoid. He wrote the Army’s Manual of Bacteriology in 1892, thus becoming the first American Bacteriologist. He was U.S. Surgeon General from 1893 to 1902 and established the U.S. Army Medical School (later known as Walter Reed Army Institute of Research).

In addition, he collected some of the first vertebrate fossils of Cretaceous era marine animals, including Xiphactinus, large bony predatory fish, and the aquatic reptile Mosasaur in western Kansas.

George’s brother Charles Hazelius

Sternberg (1850-1943) was greatly influenced by his brother’s interest in fossils.

He attended the University of Kansas from 1875-1876 and studied under Kansas’ first state geologist, Benjamin Franklin Mudge.

Charles’ first formal dig occurred in Park, Kansas, and was funded by famed paleontologist E.D. Cope in 1876.

Charles, his son George Freyer Sternberg, and two other sons collected fossils for institutions all over North America, including locations in California, Montana, Texas, and Canada. In 1921, Charles Sternberg held the honorary title of Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the San Diego Natural History Museum. He retired in 1938 and moved to Toronto, Canada.

Making a Museum: A Timeline 1902

The Sternberg Museum, as it would eventually be known, began when the Western Branch of the Kansas Normal School opened.

1904

The construction of Picken Hall provided a new building which would include a “museum room” to house the growing collection.

The initial collection mainly consisted of donated geological and taxidermy specimens provided by local citizens.

1914

C.W. Miller, who unofficially curated the collection from 1901 to 1914 was appointed the official curator. Also in 1914, Fort Hays Kansas State Normal School history professor Ward Sullivan began adding historical artifacts to the collection curated by Miller.

1955

1928

George Freyer Sternberg was provided office space and a workroom adjacent to the museum rooms and named curator of geology and paleontology for the Kansas State Teachers College of Hays.

1934 1922

President W.A. Lewis formally recognized the “Fort Hays College Museum” and moved it into the old Forsyth Library (now McCartney Hall).

18 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

During Clarence Edmund Rarick’s presidency, Charles Sternberg was appointed curator of museums, a position he held until 1955. Sternberg remained curator of geology and paleontology until he retired.

1928

Dr. Elam Bartholomew joined the botany department and created a herbarium, often called the “Mycological Museum.”

1929

The Elam Bartholomew Herbarium was officially established in the Botany Department in Albertson Hall.

Myrl V. Walker was appointed director of the Fort Hays State College Museums (the Sternberg Collection, Bartholomew Herbarium, and the Museum of the High Plains).

During Walker’s tenure, the museum(s) expanded to occupy the entirety of McCartney Hall’s first floor and housed the Hall of Paleontology, the Hall of Natural History, the Hall of Geology, the Hall of History, the Hall of Pioneers, and the Hall of Archeology and Ethnology.

George Freyer Sternberg, son of Charles, continued the family tradition of paleontology, discovering the small bipedal Cretaceous dinosaur Stegoceras in 1921. He would become the curator of

1969

“Sternberg Collections” was renamed the Sternberg Memorial Museum.

1973

The Museum of the High Plains (including the Bartholomew Herbarium) was separated from the Department of Biological Sciences with Dr. Jerry Choate as its director. Richard Zakrzewski was appointed Director of the Sternberg Memorial Museum, succeeding the retiring Myrl Walker.

1993

Dr. Choate combined the Sternberg Memorial Museum, Museum of the High Plains, and Elam Bartholomew Herbarium to form a coalition of museums at Fort Hays State.

the Fort Hays College Museum in 1928. In July 1952, George excavated the famous “Fish Within a Fish” Xiphactinus fossil in Gove County, Kansas. In 1956, he collaborated with field paleontologist Marion

Charles Bonner on a nearly complete Dolichorhynchops (small plesiosaur) skeleton.

G. F. Sternberg officially retired in 1961 and passed away in 1969 in Hays.

1994

The biology and geology museums merged into the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, with Dr. Choate serving as director.

1999

Finally, in an effort spearheaded by FHSU President Ed Hammond, the Sternberg Museum of Natural History moved to its present location, opening on March 13.

2009

Dr. Reese Barrick was appointed Museum Director.

Since then, the museum has pursued a vigorous course of collection, curation, expansion, and public education, serving natural history enthusiasts in Kansas and beyond.

2023-PRESENT

We conducted 61 school group tours involving 1,752 students from around the region and led 14 “Other” Public Group Tours in 2023. In addition, we provided tours and/or educational programming to 303 individuals. In total, 3,346 individuals from Hays and Western Kansas have participated in educational tours and our outreach programming.

Interest in the Sternberg Museum continues to grow. In 2023, our first year after the closures forced

by the COVID-19 pandemic, 45,199 visitors passed through our doors. Over the past decade, we have welcomed 399,299 visitors, and since 1995, more than 1 million visitors have explored the museum’s ever-changing exhibits.

We are proud of our permanent and ongoing paleontology, zoology, and natural history-related exhibits, as well as the traveling exhibits we bring into the museum on a regular basis.

We are constantly looking for new and interesting educational opportunities

for our visitors while continuing to honor the legacy of all those who created and guided the museum to where it is today.

The journey from the first idea of a collection of donated items to a modern, sophisticated, education-oriented institution for all has certainly been a long and interesting one. We look forward to a bright future with a continuing commitment to advancing the study and appreciation of the natural history of Kansas and the Great Plains.

FHSU.EDU

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Whether Whether you’re you’re looking looking to to make make your your first first giftgift to to Fort Fort Hays Hays State State University University or or one one of of many many over over thethe years, years, we’re we’re here here to to help help you you find find ways ways to give to give that that fit you fit you best. best.

AllAll options options listed listed here here willwill impact impact FHSU FHSU and and ourour students. students.

Please Please review review thethe benefits benefits of of each each option option and and contact contact Brent Brent Williams, Williams, Director Director of of Development, Development, with with thethe FHSU FHSU Foundation Foundation team team to to learn learn more. more.

Brent Brent Williams Williams FHSU FHSU Foundation Foundation

b_williams19@fhsu.edu b_williams19@fhsu.edu

TYPE TYPE OF OF GIFT GIFT

YOUR YOUR GOAL GOAL

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• Make • Make a 100% tax-deductible a 100% tax-deductible giftgift at your convenience at your convenience

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• Maintain • Maintain control of your control of your assets during lifelife assets during • Make • Make a gift to FHSU upon a gift to FHSU upon your passing your passing

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• Receive • Receive fixed income for for lifelife fixed income • Partial • Partial avoidance of capital gains taxtax avoidance of capital gains on on thethe sale of your appreciated property sale of your appreciated property • Enjoy • Enjoy taxtax savings from a a savings from charitable deduction charitable deduction

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• Allowed • Allowed to use fair fair to current use current market valuevalue market • Large • Large income tax deduction income tax deduction (with(with real estate) real estate) • Afford • Afford a larger gift to FHSU a larger gift to FHSU (with(with securities) securities)

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• Lifetime • Lifetime use of property use of property • Avoid • Avoid capital taxyour on your capital gainsgains tax on appreciated property appreciated property

An FHSU student’s journey of faith and service to others

STORY BY JANETTE MEIS PHOTOS BY WILL BURNS AND PROVIDED BY BRANDON NIMZ

Beyond Gaming

I

n 2004, a Fort Hays State University student, with a spark of ingenuity, transformed his dorm room into a sanctuary for game enthusiasts like himself.

Within these four walls, a vibrant community blossomed, creating a haven of acceptance and a chance to forge meaningful connections over a shared love of gaming. Soon, Agnew Hall became a hub of Friday night activity and a beacon to residents who needed a chance to unwind, escape the academic grind, connect, and revel in the shared joy of playing games. What began as a modest gathering around a small table evolved into a much larger group that needed ever-increasing space, necessitating a move first to the north lobby and later to the main lobby.

FHSU.EDU

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The student behind this phenomenon at FHSU was Brandon Nimz, and the gaming community he created marked the beginning of his extraordinary journey and remarkable tale of camaraderie, resilience, faith, and the unifying power of shared passion.

Brandon came to FHSU on an academic full ride, including the Dane G. Hansen scholarship, with aspirations of becoming a physician. He chose to pursue dual majors in physics and biology, with a minor in Spanish. Even amidst the rigors of his challenging academic path, Brandon found himself drawn to extracurricular involvement.

In addition to his interest in gaming, he became familiar with Aikido, a Japanese martial art that employs locks and holds based on the principle of nonresistance. Aikido is a practice rooted in personal growth and conflict resolution. Brandon joined the FHSU Aikido Club in 2005, embracing its philosophy and mastering techniques that would lead him to become a teacher.

After traveling to Chicago to learn basic exercises and techniques, he began teaching the Aikido Club six hours a week.

For Brandon, Aikido was more than just a martial art—it was a testament to his Christian beliefs, a conduit for personal transformation, and a way to brighten the lives of those he would later encounter.

“Though I have studied other martial arts, Aikido is unique in that it seeks to create peace with even the attacker and avoid harming them unduly, if possible,” Brandon said. “This causes much of the physical practice to be a direct representation of peacemaking principles and spiritual concepts that Christ teaches in scripture.”

“My personal practice of Aikido has often provided me with a new way to look at those teachings that helps bring both Aikido and Christ's Way even more to life.”

In 2009, Brandon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in Biology. After graduating, he turned 24 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Brandon spent 5 weeks training in Japan in 2018.

to prayer for guidance on his next path: should he pursue a future in medical school or devote himself to seminary?

Brandon’s dedication to service led him to remain in Hays to continue the ministry work he had started as an undergraduate student. He began working at HaysMed, initially in admissions, before transitioning to patient services, where he juggled his hospital duties and the pursuit of his calling.

Brandon’s life after college was marked by significant changes. His involvement with the FHSU Aikido Club evolved due to changes in the structure of student organizations. Later, it transformed into an alliance of several martial arts to assist with membership.

Determined to continue his training and pursue teaching opportunities, Brandon traveled extensively, visiting other dojos and teaching seminars regionally, nationally, and internationally. As the president of the Aikido International Foundation, he had the opportunity to teach Aikido principles and send instructors to impoverished areas to help others. In 2018, Brandon spent five weeks living in Japan, immersing himself in intensive Aikido training.

“Training lasted up to 15 hours a day,” Brandon said. “It was rigorous and challenging.” Later that year, he returned to the same dojo for its 50th anniversary. “Anniversaries are a significant milestone, and it was an honor to attend as a former student.”

Naomi Kitzis, Aikido student, practices techniques with Brandon in his studio.

Meanwhile, Brandon sought avenues to sustain his ministry. After listening to guest speakers at North Oak Community Church and gaining valuable insights and ideas, he decided to incorporate under Allegro Organizational Solutions and adopt a nonprofit framework to support his ministry endeavors full-time. It was through this process that Unite Ministry was born.

Considering the financial implications, the decision to leave his job at the hospital and focus solely on Unite Ministry wasn't an easy one for Brandon.

“I was torn; if I quit my job at the hospital, I would have no source of income,”

Brandon said. However, he persevered by finding odd jobs such as translation work, dog walking, and lawn maintenance. “Somehow, every month, I made enough money.”

With only an income of around $200 per month, starting his own dojo seemed impossible. However, with the help of his students through paid memberships, Brandon was able to rent space in Hays in 2012 and establish his own dojo, Aikido of Northwest Kansas.

Early days of the Gamer's Guild.

“It was a risk. I just hoped it would cover its own expense,” Brandon said. In the first few years, the dojo broke even.

Despite seemingly constant financial challenges, it began to flourish, attracting 20 to 30 students and maintaining a steady presence, even through tough times.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a unique set of obstacles, including disruptions in student attendance patterns, but Brandon's dedication ensured that the dojo continued to serve approximately 50 regular participants.

“The dojo is a place for people to learn about themselves and develop coping mechanisms they can use in their daily lives,” Brandon said. Through the dojo, connections were made that also crossed over to ministry projects, Bible studies, and mission trips.

Unite Ministry was flourishing, and Brandon decided the time was right to unite the dojo with the gaming community. Game Night needed a new home after transitioning from Agnew Hall to the Protestant Campus Center and rotating to various churches within the community. The weekly gathering he helped create was still attracting 40 to 50 participants, but a more permanent space still needed to be found.

Brandon successfully secured additional space in the adjacent half of the building his dojo occupied on 8th Street, allowing him to merge the dojo with what would become The Gamers Guild. Starting in 2013 with the sale of collectible card games to help offset the rental cost of the space, The Gamers Guild quickly became a refuge for those individuals seeking companionship and the opportunity to forge meaningful connections through gaming.

Growing interest in the trading card game Magic: The Gathering would drive the considerable growth and evolution of The Gamers Guild over the next several years. Brandon’s storefront on 8th Street became a sanctioned tournament store for

Wizards of the Coast, Konami, Bandai, and other board and card game manufacturing companies. Family board and card game nights provided inclusive opportunities for even more community engagement.

For the first nine years, Brandon worked up to 90 hours a week between all entities without the assistance of even a single employee, though his wife, Tella, occasionally helped with the Aikido School and The Gamers Guild. Eventually, he hired an employee to maintain regular hours.

Initially not intending to operate a store, Brandon reflected, “Never challenge God’s humor,” realizing the Guild's outreach exceeded expectations.

Beyond gaming, The Gamers Guild today is a platform for community support and touches many lives. Through the efforts of the Unite Ministry, The Gamers Guild, and the dojo, homeless people have found shelter from the heat and cold, those suffering from food insecurity have found food resources, and individuals dealing with addictions and recovery have found support.

The Gamers Guild stays open until 10 p.m., ensuring, through the Unite Ministry community pantry, that essential resources such as food and clothing are accessible to anyone in need well into the evening hours.

Unite Ministry had to ramp up its role when the Community Assistance Center ceased its distribution of commodities.

Recognizing the need, Brandon incorporated this initiative into his ministry, extending assistance both locally and regionally. With a focus on providing more direct support, Unite Ministry aims to address the challenge of limited awareness about available resources.

Through Unite Ministry’s unwavering dedication to service and education, numerous lives have been touched and countless minds enlightened. Little did Brandon know 20 years ago that the faith connections he forged during his college years, his decision to try out an Aikido class, and his role in creating a small gathering of students looking to connect through gaming could have led to achievements of far greater significance.

FHSU.EDU

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Generations Connect

26 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

A

family friendship became the gateway to an exceptional opportunity last fall for FHSU’s geoscience students when Dr. Ronald Whitmer, Ellsworth County Medical Center physician, extended an invitation to Logan Erichsen, Ellsworth senior majoring in geosciences. That invitation led to innovative research on volcanic ash deposits discovered on Whitmer’s Ellsworth County farm.

F HS U Al um a nd S t udents

DIG DEEP i n to Ge ol ogi cal E xpl oration STORY BY DAWNE LEIKER

Whitmer had been closely acquainted with the Erichsen family since before Logan was born. In fact, Logan’s mother, Brenda, worked as Whitmer’s clinic manager prior to giving birth to Logan and his twin brother, Noah, who is also a senior at FHSU. During a visit to Whitmer’s office last year, Logan spoke of his interest in geology, sparking a conversation regarding the ash deposit on Whitmer’s land.

“I’m not a geologist,” Whitmer said. “But it really interests me. It’s so fascinating.”

Whitmer’s fascination with the land comes about naturally for him. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to hear Whitmer say that he practices medicine to support his farming habit.

Opposite page: Ron Whitmer and Logan Erichsen on Whitmer's Ellsworth Co. farm.

This page: Logan demonstrates volcanic ash properties at FHSU lab.

“I think a lot of people who grow up on the farm, that just becomes their love,” he said.

Whitmer purchased the ash-rich land in 2000, as it was adjacent to some of his other property. Through discussions with other people in the area, he discovered that property near his newly purchased land had been used for mining ash deposits. A pit nearly the size of five football fields existed close to his land.

As he prepared to research Whitmer’s ash deposit, Logan confirmed with his professor, Dr. Jonathan Sumrall, associate professor of geosciences, that ash could indeed be found in Kansas.

“I had never heard about this,” Logan said. “Sandstone, limestone, salt, gypsum.

Those can be found in Kansas, but as far as I knew, we don’t have ash.”

Logan discovered that the ash on Whitmer’s property, a fine white material, is approximately 610,000 years old and originated from the Yellowstone National Park area. Due to erosion and mining, finding an ash deposit such as Whitmer’s was rare.

“It would only accumulate on the wayward side of the hill, and when the wind came through, it would just scoop it out,” Logan said. “It was super erratic.”

The white ash is finer than beach sand and resembles powder. Although the ash can be mixed with some materials, it is hydrophobic (water-shedding).

“The volcano blows up with so much force that it literally takes rock and fragments it to the consistency of bread flour,” Sumrall, who has studied ash deposits in FHSU.EDU

27

the Caribbean, said. “And when you look at it under an electron microscope, you can see the individual particles that look like shards of window glass. But it is shards of rock.”

“It is amazing.”

According to the Kansas Geological Survey, ash in Kansas has been mined commercially for nearly 50 years. Total reserves of unmined volcanic ash are estimated to exceed 20 million tons. Peak mining of ash in Kansas took place during the 1940s up until the 1960s, when ash was mined for use in absorbing oil. On Whitmer’s land, however, volcanic ash is still in plentiful supply.

Logan and his classmate Ryan Lawson drilled Whitmer’s land with a hand auger into the ash deposit that is eight feet thick.

Whitmer, who accompanied the students on the excursion, enjoyed being a part of the research and discovery process.

“It was a fun day out there with the two young guys, and watching what they did,” Whitmer said.

As part of his capstone project, Logan researched Whitmer’s farm to create a comprehensive report. Logan’s research began with reading the Nebraska and Kansas Geological Surveys, most of which are typewritten and scanned manuscripts, making the research a painstaking process.

For Whitmer, who hopes to find the extent of the ash on his property, Logan’s report will give him information on how laterally extensive the ash deposits are on his land.

Sumrall said FHSU’s Department of Geosciences encourages student-centered research, whereby students develop projects they are passionate about.

“This (Logan and Ryan’s project) is the first run of it,” Sumrall said. “Every one 28 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

won’t be like this, but if half of them are this successful, we’ll be in a good place in geology.”

Discovering the kaleidoscope of geological phenomena in Kansas has been exciting not just for Logan but also for many of Sumrall’s other students. Beyond Whitmer’s land, other students have explored the gypsum hills near Medicine Lodge.

“We are trying to give them the best field experience we can, but at the same time actually learning to do geology is getting out on your own,” Sumrall said. “This is way beyond what I expect my undergrads typically to do.”

“I think it’s a good way to support our students, especially local projects like this.

It will get students more involved, and it is outreach for Dr. Whitmer.”

Whitmer, a graduate of FHSU, joins several family members, including his mother, father, brother, son, and two sons-in-law, in calling themselves Tigers. In addition, his oldest daughter attended FHSU on a track scholarship for two years before transferring to KSU. Whitmer stays in touch with the university, contributing to the chemistry department and general fund. He plans to retire from practicing medicine at the end of 2024.

Sumrall said other FHSU alumni have reached out to the geoscience department to let them know about interesting phenomena on their property. Projects are currently underway in Barber County, where special

Ryan Lawsen measures volcanic ash deposits on Ron Whitmer's farm.

Left: Logan Erichsen examines volcanic ash at FHSU Geosciences lab.

education alumni Bill and Marylou Henz provided a connection to the department.

In addition to alums, Sumrall said the department of geosciences has been supportive of his students’ project, paying for samples to be studied at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, where mineral analysis and high-quality electron microscope pictures were taken of the samples.

As for Logan, he plans to continue his education after graduating from FHSU this spring. He will study igneous petrology, which is the formation of rocks from magma. Although many students go on to careers in mining companies or volcanology, Logan, who has worked two years as a U.S. park ranger, has set his sights on a career in conservation.

The support of FHSU alumni, such as Whitmer, has meant the world to Logan.

“I’m here on scholarships fully paid by donors to the university,” Logan said.

“Anything I can do to give back to alumni is awesome. I love this university. I’ve had a great time here.”

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FISH WIZARDS E X P LO R I N G T H E WO N D E R S O F K A N S A S ’ N AT I V E F I S H STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALICIA FEYERHERM

W

ADING THROUGH SPRING CREEK in Volland, Kan., three Fort Hays State University alumni, Dr. Brian Bohnsack (B.S. Biology 1987), Dr. Bill Stark (M.S. 1987), and Joe Tomelleri (M.S. 1984) lead a group of participants through a guided fish tour in early June. Collectively, these three individuals and a fourth, Mike Kaminski, are known as the Fish Wizards, and they love to share their knowledge of Kansas’ native fish.

“A lot of folks can see the wildlife species that are out on the prairie: the birds, the animals, the buffalo, but they can’t see the fish,” Fish Wizards Founder Dr. Brian Bohnsack said.

“The Wizards get them out on the water and show them some of the beautiful fish species that live below. We love seeing the amazement in everyone as they see the amazing colors in the different species of darters and minnow species that live in the Flint Hill streams.”

The four-hour tour typically begins at 10 a.m. at a selected sampling site in Wabaunsee County. The Fish Wizards, along with other volunteers, use seines and baited fyke nets (long funnel-shaped nets) to catch fish. Once caught, the fish are placed in transparent aquariums so all participants can see how the fish look and move in their habitat.

Participants get a chance to examine the fish up close while the Wizards identify the species and explain aspects of their natural history. Kids and kids-at-heart can share the experience, take some pictures, and enjoy a unique experience before the fishes are safely released back into the creek.

The event is scheduled each year to match the spawning season so the fish are at their prettiest, and the diversity of colors can be quite dramatic. The brilliant reds, orange, and blues on shiny silver backgrounds flashing in the aquaria are unexpected and reminiscent of tropical fish colors.

“In my experiences, people are often surprised by the diversity of fish present in the creek,” Bohnsack said. “Over twenty native fish species can be identified, including the federally endangered Topeka Shiner. This event is family-friendly. Individuals of all ages can learn about fish and the need to conserve native stream habitats.”

“My mom told me when she first came to Fish Wizards, she thought all the Kansas fish should just be browns and greens, but they’re beautiful colors,” one of the younger participants, Kahlan, said while on his second Fish Wizards tour. “I just like being outside in the fresh air and with all my friends. The environment is really nice. I enjoy it a lot.”

Alicia Feyerherm, a native of Hays, is a rising Fort Hays senior pursuing a degree in Information Networking and Telecommunications with an emphasis in Digital Media Production and Journalism and a minor in Public Relations and Advertising. As a student journalist, Alicia has worked for Tiger Media Network as a writer and a video producer. She helped create the weekly TMN TV newscast, which led to her winning several awards. Alicia is also active in FHSU student government, works as a Communication Assistant at Midwest Energy, and is involved in numerous campus activities.

30 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Examining fish found in Spring Creek in Volland, Kan.

“

Over twenty native fish species can be identified, including the federally endangered Topeka Shiner.

FHSU.EDU

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Caption

The event is a fundraiser for the Volland Foundation and the Native Stone Scenic Byways and is held each year during the first weekend in June. Tickets can be purchased through the Volland Foundation website. Updates are also posted on the Fish Wizards Facebook page. Registration is limited to 30 participants per day.

Because capacity is limited, the Fish Wizards host a tour on Saturday and Sunday, so more people have a chance to experience this unique event. Participants have traveled across the country for the tour, including one who came all the way from New York City.

While the Fish Wizards tour has only been in existence since 2019, the event is a result of experiences Bohnsack had at Fort Hays State over 30 years earlier. The idea of public fish ID tours first began during an ichthyology (fish) class field trip in 1987 that included a stop in Wabaunsee County. Led by the late FHSU professor Dr. Thomas Wenke, field trips are a way for current and previous FHSU faculty to help students learn more about Kansas’ natural resources.

During the trip, Bohnsack learned about the wide variety of fishes in Kansas and wanted to find a way to bring that experience to the public. All of the FHSU Wizards participated in Dr. Wenke’s field trips during their college days, and it impacted them similarly.

Upon Wenke’s retirement, Dr. Stark was hired as his replacement and maintains the practice.

Bohnsack’s dream lay dormant for decades until he returned to his home state and reconnected with Tomelleri and Stark.

“With my background, I knew there’s a lot of interest in aquatic education and ecotourism,” Bohnsack said. “I knew my friends from Fort Hays (Dr. Stark and Joe Tomelleri) would be interested in something like this, so I invited them to join me in establishing the Fish Wizards. We love passing on our knowledge of fish and the environment on to others.”

Mike Kaminski, a fisheries biologist and an instructor of biology at Clarkson College, joined the Fish Wizards team a year later. Kaminski was gifted FHSU apparel by his colleagues and he proudly wears it while leading field trips with his students in Nebraska.

All three FHSU grads have distinguished careers in fisheries and attribute a lot of their success to Dr. Wenke.

32 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Bohnsack has worked for both state and federal fish and wildlife agencies. Dr. Stark earned his PhD in fisheries at Oklahoma State University and returned to FHSU, where he teaches ichthyology, aquatic ecology, and other courses in the natural resources area and continues to engage students in class field trips.

Joe Tomelleri is an internationally known fish artist whose works have been featured in more than one thousand publications, including “Kansas Fishes” and “Fishes of the Central United States.” Each year, the Wizards have an official commemorative shirt available for participants to purchase. The fish on the shirts are illustrations done by Tomelleri and feature a fish collected at the event the previous year. Each of his illustrations comes from a physical specimen that is photographed, collected, and carefully measured to make his illustrations as scientifically accurate as possible. They’re both visually beautiful and scientifically important.

“It has now become a tradition, and we all look forward to this every year,” Tomelleri said. “It is great to see excitement in people’s eyes as they get to see firsthand the beauty and diversity of our native fish.”

“To some extent, this is our way of honoring Dr. Wenke and the love of fish that he helped grow within us,” Stark said. “Kansas’ native fish species are beautiful, and many rival those that you find in the Caribbean! But most Kansans don’t get to see them and see their beauty. We get to show them and educate others about Kansas’ amazing fish and their important roles in the aquatic environment.”

Fish Wizards will be held again next year, and Bohnsack hopes to see the event continue to grow and increase awareness of these gems living in Kansas streams.

Fish Wizards assist young volunteers in catching local fish for examination.

Save the Date!

HOMECOMING OCTOBER 3-5, 2024 www.FHSUhomecoming.com

REUNION GATHERINGS

Be on the lookout for more information about Class of 1964, Class of 1974, Football, Honors College, and Delta Zeta reunions.

TIGER BONFIRE

OKTOBERFEST

CAMPUS TOURS AND ALUMNI AWARD HONORS

HOMECOMING PARADE

Thursday, Oct. 3, FHSU Robbins Center

Friday, Oct. 4, FHSU Campus

HALF CENTURY CLUB SOCIAL AND LUNCHEON Friday, Oct. 4, FHSU Memorial Union

Friday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 5, Hays Municipal Park

Saturday, Oct. 5, The Bricks in Downtown Hays

TIGER TAILGATE AND FOOTBALL GAME FHSU vs. Central Missouri Saturday, Oct. 5, FHSU Lewis Field Stadium

Your FHSU Alumni Office can't wait to welcome you back to campus!

Contact us at 785-628-4430 or alumni@fhsu.edu with any questions.

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MICRO-INTERNSHIPS toTECH INCUBATION FHSU’s CITI is Pioneering New Pathways for Small Businesses and Student Success STORY BY DAWNE LEIKER

Jason Zeller explains key points of cybersecurity awareness.

W

ith an eye on the digital era’s growing cybersecurity concerns, small businesses across Kansas are finding a vital ally at Fort Hays State University’s Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator (CITI).

Offering a comprehensive array of services ranging from website development to advanced cybersecurity analysis, CITI, a Department of Commerce initiative, bolsters local businesses’ digital defenses and nurtures students' entrepreneurial spirit through innovative programs like micro-internships and technology incubation.

Led by Jason Zeller, FHSU Assistant Professor of Informatics and CITI’s Director of Operations, the institute aims to improve cybersecurity awareness and threat readiness and develop the next generation of tech entrepreneurs. Through micro-internships, capstone projects, and faculty consulting, CITI leverages student and faculty expertise to deliver innovative business and information security solutions for its clients.

The micro-internships that CITI coordinates differ from standard internships, which run an entire semester. CITI’s micro-internships are project-specific experiences that last one to two weeks. They are designed to enhance the students’ resumes with a broader skill set and an expanded suite of real-world experiences. Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, micro-internship students assisted the FHSU Cybersecurity Club with networking and completed website designs for local companies in Hays.

“It’s not just what is done in the classroom that matters here,” Zeller said. “Students are going to get hands-on experience while they are here. That’s the big difference between Fort Hays and other larger institutions.”

In addition to micro-internships, CITI will serve as a technology incubator. The goal is to develop one to two businesses initially, with the possibility of those being venture referrals to the Small Business Development Center. Zeller expects all CITI operations, including the

“

It’s not just what is done in the classroom that matters here.

Students are going to get hands-on experience while they are here.

incubator, to be in full swing within two years.

“So, if students go through micro-internships and decide they want to make a business out of it, we will work with them to build a business plan, get angel investing, and actually start their company,” Zeller said.

Laurie Frazier, pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in information assurance management, served as a graduate assistant for CITI during the 2024 spring semester. Her duties included processing and developing procedures for the micro-internships and learning through trial and error what was needed. She communicated with students to ensure they were on track to complete the requirements for their micro-internships.

“The fun part began when we started getting clients and connecting them with our students,” Frazier said. “It is very rewarding to provide these kinds of services from website building to cybersecurity basics to our wonderful community of Hays.”

Plans for the incubator include accelerating the success of entrepreneurial companies through business support and services, management guidance, technical support, and tailored Laurie Frazier, CITI consultations. Graduates of the incubator will graduate assistant contribute to the “overall vitality, diversity, and growth of the area economy.” They will also create wealth through the multiplier effect that will positively impact rural Kansas communities.

“This year was very exciting to finally start reaching out to our community, and hopefully, this can grow to other services we offer and strengthen our community in cybersecurity for the future,” Frazier said.

FHSU.EDU 35

FORSYTH LIBRARY’S NEXT CHAPTER STORY BY CYNDI LANDIS

Rumors of a possible library renovation have persisted for decades. This project has been a long time coming, but the wait is finally over. As you read this article, in the summer of 2024, the construction of the nearly $28M renovation has already begun at Forsyth Library. The initial work began in the front foyer and south entrance once the library closed for the summer, and the two-part, phased project will take approximately two years to complete.

36 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Architectural rendering of Forsyth Library.

Left: Exterior Right: Stairway

B

UILT IN 1967 IN THE BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURAL STYLE MADE POPULAR AFTER WORLD WAR II,

the building has been showing its age with weathered stairs, a roof that leaks, and an HVAC system that is failing. In addition to enhancing the overall aesthetics and improved use of space in the building, major updates to the infrastructure, the heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems, and Wi-Fi will elevate the building’s performance and expand its longevity well into the future.

Flash forward to 2026 and imagine standing on South Campus Drive and taking in the façade of the revitalized Forsyth Library, one that, by purposeful and innovative design, has become the academic heart of campus we have all envisioned for decades. After this project is complete, the footprint of Forsyth

Library will remain the same - a 186 ft square with an entrance foyer totaling 105,404 square feet - but the look, feel, sounds, smells, and even tastes will be completely transformed.

The visible difference will be most dramatic. At the entrance, a glass foyer will provide a 270° panoramic view of campus. Large 23-foot windows located on each face of the building will stream natural light throughout the building.

Sunshine will even reach down into the lower level, with the open staircase serving as columns of light. An amphitheater staircase near the north entrance and an

Throughout the project, stay updated with the library renovation by visiting fhsu.edu/library/renovation

overlook near the south entrance open the main level to the lower level below, connecting the two floors with sound, sight, and light.

Furnishings and finishes rendered in gold and black hues will be installed as visual representations of our legendary Tiger spirit. Additional accents will reflect the natural beauty of the high plains, bringing the outdoors into the library with warm teak wood finishes and light felt baffling on the ceiling that resembles billowing clouds while also serving as an acoustic treatment.

In Spring 2022, Forsyth Library conducted a survey and held input sessions with students, faculty, and staff to gather ideas, dreams, and desires to ensure the renovated library would best serve the needs of its patrons.

In addition to wanting the library to serve coffee, students emphasized the importance of using natural light and elements of the outdoors to furnish interior spaces. They also echoed the FHSU.EDU

37

Circulation desk rendering

importance of being surrounded by books in the quiet nooks of the library as a signal for them to take their studying seriously and avoid distractions.

The guiding vision behind this major renovation project is to see Forsyth Library realize its full purpose as the academic heart of campus. It will become an even better hub of knowledge and technology, inspiring creation, innovation, and collaboration in our campus community; the aura and character of the renovated library will finally align with this purpose.

A feeling of reverence for centuries of scholarship is just as important as the modern technology tools available to bring any idea to life. This evocative place and the resources it offers our community are essential for learning and growth.

Hear about the different ways students use the FHSU Library: https://bit.ly/FHSUfavoriteplace

38 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Once the project is complete, the audible buzz of friends and classmates working on group projects and engaged in study group meetings will stream throughout the collaborative levels of the library. Passing through these new spaces, one might hear an author speaking to a crowd of 80+ people in the semi-private

event space or the hum of 3D printers and laser cutters reverberating from Makerspace up the amphitheater staircase to the main level.

Patrons of the new Forsyth Library will also enjoy satisfying study snacks and the jolt of a cozy cup of coffee from the new café on the main level. Outfitted

Original Forsyth Library located in McCartney Hall.

Classroom rendering

with a small support kitchen and casual seating, the new café will bring affordable coffee to the library, along with a range of grab-and-go food options for those buried in long hours of research. They will also find bookshelves scattered throughout every floor with a purposeful variety of seating so every student can find their “Goldilocks spot” - not too loud, not too quiet, but just right.

On the upper level of the building, on the quiet floor, the sound of silence will only be interrupted by the padding of footsteps passing through the glass doors at the top of the stairwells. Entering the upper floor, you will instantly encounter the lingering scent of books, along with the unmistakable smell of fresh paint and new carpet. Nearly 80% of the library’s collection is available online through the library catalog, but the physical collection contains over 1.1 million items, including books, periodicals, government documents, archival materials, microforms, and maps. Individual study rooms and study pods will dot this quiet sanctuary among the bookshelves and offer a glimpse of the “Vault,” which serves as the protective home for special collections and archives preserving photographs, letters, postcards, and artifacts from long ago in a climate-controlled environment.

FHSU students have long relied on the library for a variety of important services - the study space it provides, the research expertise of the librarians, easy-to-access databases available via the library website, and the laptops and other technology available to checkout for free. The library’s media lab and partner spaces, including the Honors College, the Writing

Center, the Makerspace, and soon, the Institute for New Media Studies, will draw even more students. And students know and appreciate that it’s the only building open past 10 p.m.

This extensive renovation will ensure that Forsyth Library can continue to serve as a vital lifeline for students, many of whom grew up with a rural community library or high school library the size of a living room and who can now utilize the study space, technology, and research resources this renovation provides.

This project will also create an opportunity for Western Kansans to experience the grandeur of a reading room where they can better understand the past by exploring the materials publicly available in the library’s special collections and archives. This new Forsyth Library will offer our community an unmatched opportunity to experience the gravitas of ready access to a vast information landscape without driving three or more hours to an urban area to feel “connected to resources.”

With $25 million secured from federal, state, and university funding, primarily through a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) grant, the project is well on its way. Over the next two years, the funding gap will be closed by the power of philanthropy with the fundraising help of the FHSU Foundation.

Forsyth Library has long been a catalyst for change and the advancement of knowledge at Fort Hays State University. The intellectual, creative, and human experiences that happen daily in Forsyth Library inspire our students to find their passion, grow as engaged global citizen leaders, explore new ideas, and never give up in pursuit of their dream of a college degree.

Please consider joining in the effort to rejuvenate Forsyth Library. FHSU Foundation Director of Development, Mary Hammond, can answer your questions and help you find ways to donate to the project or name spaces in the new Forsyth Library. Please contact Mary at mshammond2@fhsu.edu or by phone at 785-628-4728.

There are several ways to support the Forsyth Library Renovation: 1) Make a gift at foundation.fhsu.edu/forsyth-library-renovation.

Every gift makes a difference, no matter the size.

2) Consider naming a space in the library in honor of a friend, family member, loved one, or business. More than 70 spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis in varying amounts.

FHSU.EDU

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FAC U LT Y FORUM

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE AIRWAVES

VICTOR E. HISTORY PODCAST UNCOVERS COMPELLING NARRATIVES

BY HOLLIE MARQUESS, FHSU LECTURER OF HISTORY

“W

ELCOME BACK to the Victor

E. History Podcast from the history program at Fort Hays State University. I am Hollie Marquess, and I am your host.”

As a historian, part of my job is to engage the public with history. As a lecturer at FHSU, one of the best parts of my job is to celebrate the achievements of our students. The Victor E. History Podcast lets me do both simultaneously.

As a multi-tasker, this appeals to me.

However, I did not really intend to start a podcast, even though I am an avid consumer of podcasts.

The students know me for sharing what I call “fun facts,” facts that they might prefer to call horrifying information about the history of sexuality.

40 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Over the years, many students have suggested that I start a podcast about the history of sexuality. My answer was always that if someone wanted to learn from me, they should take my class.

That conversation shifted, though, in a History Club/Phi Alpha Theta meeting in 2021. Our guest speaker was Dr. Manamee Guha, then a professor in the FHSU History Department. She discussed her podcast, Masala History, a multidisciplinary digital platform that hosts scholarly and expert content on South Asia, and how podcasts are a great way to share and consume information. By this point, I had been using podcast episodes in my courses and found that students enjoyed exploring niche topics in an audio format.

During that meeting, a student messaged me and suggested I start a podcast. Instead of declining as usual, I thought about the possibility of hosting a podcast featuring our students. I floated the idea in the meeting, and the students present were so excited. So, I set about doing some research. By and large, I came up empty when I looked for podcasts hosted by history departments. I did find a few that featured professors in history departments, but none with a student focus. That was exciting because ours could be new and different, but that also meant we did not have an example to follow. Since Dr. Guha already had experience with podcasting and editing, we felt confident we could pull it off.

“WELCOME BACK TO THE VICTOR E. HISTORY PODCAST FROM THE HISTORY PROGRAM AT FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY. I AM HOLLIE MARQUESS, She and I launched Victor E. History in January 2022. We decided that we would ask professors to submit the best student papers in their courses, and then she and I would select those that we thought were not only solid research and writing but also potentially engaging for a public audience. We knew there was no way that we could do a theme for each season. Instead, we’d embrace the random and just have our students tell interesting stories. In season one, we covered everything from Japanese Internment, the Holocaust, and séances to rodeo cowboys, opium, and anarchism.

By recording podcast episodes, the students learn new skill sets, including how to take a research paper and figure out how to tell the story in a short format

AND I AM YOUR HOST.” to an audience who may not know anything about their research topic. It is one thing to write a scholarly article.

It is another thing entirely to present an argument in a manner that is accessible and interesting to the general public.

Students also get to practice public speaking, an experience that helps them master an essential professional skill that will help them in their future careers.

At Victor E., we also wanted to highlight notable alumni. Not only do we want to show off the amazing achievements of our FHSU history alums, but we also want to highlight various career

paths to the graduates of our program.

Many think they should not major in history if they do not want to teach.

However, that perception could not be further from the truth. In season two, I interviewed Major Ben Peeler, who used his B.A. and M.A. in history from FHSU to become a commissioned officer in the United States Army. He has traveled the world in his various roles and is currently serving in Bahrain as the Assistant U.S. Army Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Manama. In season four, I interviewed Chris Dinkel, who used his education at FHSU history to get into FHSU.EDU

41

Columbia Law School and then launch a successful career as an attorney. He recently worked on a case that went to the Supreme Court.

Season four brought a change to Victor E. as Dr. Guha left to teach at Marshall University. Since I am now the sole producer, editor, interviewer, etc., I have to plan ahead a bit more, but I am committed to continuing to showcase our amazing students. I love watching their excitement for each other when someone gets asked to be on the podcast. The students are so supportive of each other and really work to champion their peers.

What I hope the students gain from this podcasting experience goes beyond the skills they are developing or a line item for their curriculum vitae. Each student who appears on the podcast is engaging the public with the historian’s craft and is, most importantly, gaining confidence in their own abilities as writ42 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

ers, researchers, thinkers, and presenters.

Whether we have ten listeners or ten million, giving our students those skills and building their confidence in themselves is worth the work.

For me, it is incredibly rewarding to work with students in this capacity.

Cheering on students and helping them develop new skills is not just a part of my job at FHSU. It is the best part of my job at FHSU. I look forward to many more semester-long seasons at Victor E. History and highlighting students, faculty, and alumni.

If you have not yet tuned in to the podcast, you absolutely should because our students are incredible. The podcast website is at https://victorehistory.com/, and there you’ll find links to episodes and selected sources for each topic. Victor E. History is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and on any major podcast platform.

BIO:

Hollie Marquess is a lecturer of history at Fort Hays State.

She earned her B.A. and M.A. in History from FHSU. Ms. Marquess specializes in American history (colonial era to the present), women’s history, gender, and sexuality. In addition to the survey courses, she teaches Orientation to History, Historical Methods, Women in American History, History of Sexuality, LBGTQ World History, The Second World War, America Between the Wars, and Colonial and Revolutionary America.

L E AV I N G THEIR MARK ED AND MARY HAMMOND are leaving half of their estate, a more than seven-figure gift, to Fort Hays State University

T

HE LONGEST-SERVING FHSU PRESIDENT, Dr. Ed

Hammond, oversaw a period of incredible growth and created many recognizable programs during his 27-year tenure. Ed recognized the symbiotic relationship between FHSU and the community, not only because of the university’s tremendous economic impact but also because local businesses are labor-dependent on Fort Hays State students. Even today, Ed firmly believes that FHSU’s success provides the foundation for a growing and prosperous Hays community.

Mary grew up in Hill City, Kansas, and will never forget how crucial Fort Hays State was in setting her mom, Dorothy, up for success as an educator. As a high school freshman, Mary vividly remembers how dedicated her mom was to earning her college degree, driving 50 miles to and from Hill City to Hays each day.

The Hammonds chose to divide their estate gift between two FHSU scholarships: the Dr. Edward H. Hammond Endowed Scholarship and the Dorothy and Dwayne Sprenkel Education Scholarship, created in honor of Mary’s parents.

The Hammond Endowed Scholarship supports junior and senior

student leaders with financial need. “Our intent is to financially free up their time to use their leadership skills to better the university,” Ed said.

This endowed scholarship was created by FHSU Half Century Club members in 2014 to recognize Ed’s presidency.

Mary’s dad passed in 2001, and her mom in 2021. Though Mary wishes her parents were still on this earth to see the impacts of the newly created Dorothy and Dwayne Sprenkel Education Scholarship, she’s proud that their names will forever live on at FHSU. Ed and Mary have given back to the university for decades, but hearing current FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason’s heartfelt testimony about recently joining the Wooster Society inspired them to follow suit. Named for FHSU’s fourth president, the Lyman Dwight Wooster Society is the university’s legacy group – honoring individuals who arrange gifts to FHSU through estate and planned giving.

Just as Ed and Mary have done through their Wooster Society gift,

others can designate how they would like their estate and planned gift, regardless of size, to benefit the university. Gifts can be specific to a scholarship, an academic department, a student organization, or an athletic program. Brent Williams, Director of Development with the FHSU Foundation, can answer questions about how to document an estate or planned gift to FHSU and how you can leave a legacy at Fort Hays State University. Brent can be reached at b_williams19@fhsu.edu or 785-628-5719.

Membership in the Wooster Society is dependent on whether you have left something to FHSU in your will or trust or have made the university a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, donor-advised fund, or retirement account. There is no specific monetary benchmark associated with the group; however, you must document your gift with the FHSU Foundation office.

Visit foundation.fhsu.edu/impact/wooster-society to learn more.

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ALUMNI NEWS DR. JONATHAN SUMRALL, an assistant professor in geosciences, received the Pilot Award as this year’s outstanding faculty member nominated by graduating seniors. Dr. Sumrall has always believed learning should be a dynamic, lifelong pursuit that extends beyond the classroom. Always energetic and passionate, Dr. Sumrall’s enthusiasm for geological sciences is contagious to those around him. Students often praise Dr. Sumrall for his tailored approach to teaching and for understanding students’ learning needs. As a Kansas Army National Guard member, Dr. Sumrall plans his lectures meticulously to spend more time with his students, whom he considers his greatest successes.

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THE FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI OFFICE KICKED OFF GRADUATION SEASON BY ANNOUNCING THIS YEAR’S COMMENCEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS. EACH YEAR, EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS AND FACULTY ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

SONJA BRANDT, Knob Noster,

CHELSEA KIEFER, Raleigh, N.C.,

Mo., received the Lighthouse Award honoring an outstanding graduate student. Sonja, a biologist and artist, exemplifies how creativity and scholarly work can complement each other in the field. At FHSU, Sonja has flourished in her graduate studies while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA and has helped establish an on-campus chapter of a bird conservation organization. She graduated this spring, ready to enter the field as a professional biologist.

is our first-ever FHSU Online student to receive the Torch Award presented to an outstanding graduating senior. Even from afar, Chelsea, a non-traditional online history student, immediately caught the attention of faculty members, who were impressed by her thoughtful responses to online discussion boards. She further connected with peers nationwide thanks to a vibrant online community she created for history students and faculty. She graduated in December 2023 with a 3.99 GPA and has begun her master’s degree in history at FHSU.

Meet Three Distinguished Alums of FHSU Yoana Cruz

Jessica Thompson

At only 28 years old, Yoana Cruz has touched many lives as a healthcare advocate. Growing up as a child of immigrants, Yoana combines personal experiences with leadership skills to strategize healthcare accessibility for all.

Yoana’s never-give-up outlook and tenacity come from her parents, who moved from El Salvador to pursue a better life. Growing up in southwest Kansas, Yoana recognized the barriers her family faced in utilizing the healthcare system in the United States. Seeing these difficulties inspired Yoana to apply to Fort Hays State University as a first-generation student and become a voice for others like herself. At FHSU, Yoana demonstrated her leadership skills through her involvement in the Student Government Association and as a mentor for FHSU’s Hispanic College Institute.

After graduating from FHSU with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2018, Yoana worked at Cerner for a few years before pursuing her master’s degree.

Since early 2023, Yoana has served as the full-time OB-GYN clerkship and subinternship coordinator at the University of Kansas Medical Center, in addition to being a full-time graduate student. This May, she will graduate with her Master of Health Services degree through KUMC’s School of Medicine.

Despite a full plate of responsibilities, Yoana has provided mentorship and professional development opportunities through her pageant work as Miss Kansas City Latina in 2020 and Miss El Salvador U.S. Latina in 2023.

Undeniably, Yoana’s commitment to lifting others through her work makes her a leader and a pillar in others’ lives.

Playing teacher was one of Jessica Thompson’s favorite things to do as a child. Today, she’s no longer playing teacher – she’s making an incredible impact educating students at Turner High School in Kansas City.

Jessica heard about Fort Hays State University through a few of her DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) mentors. After a campus visit, she knew she’d call FHSU home. Jessica graduated from Fort Hays State in 2013, and her childhood dreams took flight.

She has now been teaching high schoolers for more than 11 years and has plenty to be proud of. From developing new business curriculum to reviving the school’s DECA chapter, Jessica continually shows up for her students. She loves watching them shine in and out of school and is often seen cheering them on along the sidelines of a game, in the audience of a recital, or celebrating a job well done. Because her students come from various backgrounds, Jessica does her best to build meaningful relationships beyond her classroom.

Jessica hopes to broaden her impact on students through her new role as an instructional coach at Turner High. This new position will allow Jessica to mentor teachers through observation and help them implement new classroom strategies in their curriculum. Though she’s taking a step back from the classroom, she’ll have an even larger capacity to transform students’ lives by coaching teachers on how they, too, can make a difference.

Max Wyler Roll the credits! For more than 30 years, Max Wyler has been involved in hundreds of TV and film projects with his familyrun company, Accord Productions. His work has aired on Netflix, HBO, Starz, and most recently on Tubi, with Titans of Business: The Cecil O’Brate Story, about one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in Kansas.

On a scouting trip to play college football, Max toured Fort Hays State with a few friends. Thanks to a generous scholarship offer, he moved to Hays from sunny Miami, Florida, to start his college education.

Shortly after graduating from FHSU with a finance degree in the mid-1980s, his brother, Rocky, persuaded Max to help him start a business. Combining Max’s finance background and creativity with Rocky’s camera skills, the brothers have seen lasting success in their business venture.

More rewarding than working in TV, though, is his work with the South Florida Autism Charter School in Hialeah, Florida. As parents of a daughter with autism, Max and his wife, Lisa, hold the school's mission close to their hearts. For more than 12 years, Max has served as a governing board member and uses his company’s know-how to raise awareness for the school by creating video promotions.

Max’s projects can be seen on AccordProductions.com. Just as he’s taken an unconventional path as a finance major, he hopes Fort Hays State students will look beyond their academic majors and explore their passions.

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TIGER NOTES

SHARE YOUR

NEWS We want to hear from you!

Send us your news, updates and information by visiting FHSUalumni.com/alumni-update or emailing alumni@fhsu.edu.

CLASS NOTES 1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

David Bauer ’68, and Ann ’68, Kearney, Neb., received the 2023 Friend of Kearney Award.

Stephen “Steve” Boehmer ’71, Thornton, Colo., was inducted into the FHSU 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame for track and field.

Tawnita (Staley) Augustine ’83, Hays, was inducted into the FHSU 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame for women’s gymnastics.

Grant Bannister ’93, Manhattan, was reappointed to the 21st Judicial District, composed of Clay and Riley counties.

Jennifer (Mardis) Kitson ’76, ’80, ’92, Hays, received the 2024 National Association of School Psychologists Legends of the Field award.

Rex Ball ’82, Hays, was announced as a Kiwanis Club Legion of Honor recipient for the 2023-2024 membership year.

Shawn Behr ’96, Great Bend, was inducted into the FHSU 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame for football.

Kenneth “Ken” Windholz ’71, ’77, Hays, was elected president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Kansas Board of Directors.

Jayne (Costigan) Inlow ’88, Hays, received the Nex-Tech Citizen of the Year award.

James Beltch ’64, Lawrence, was inducted into the FHSU 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame for wrestling.

Ernest “Ernie” Brown ’66, WaKeeney, was inducted into the 2024 Kansas Teacher Hall of Fame.

Marion Dreher ’69, Hays, was announced as a Kiwanis Club Legion of Honor recipient for the 2023-2024 membership year.

Errol Wuertz ’77, ’98, Hays, received the Golden Belt Bank Hall of Fame award.

46 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Rhonda (Phillips) Wright ’89, Arkansas City, was hired as Hiawatha High School’s new principal.

Joshua “Josh” Biera ’92, Garden City, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

William “Bill” Culver ’92, Rocky Ford, Colo., was appointed to Colorado’s 16th Judicial District.

Marc Enyart ’94, Overland Park, was hired as a University of Kansas Health System urgent care physician.

Kerri (Walt) Lacy ’91, ’00, Hays, was chosen as the Kansas Area 4 Principal of the Year.

Troy Sander ’92, Edmond, Okla., was chosen as the new Kansas Livestock Association's president-elect.

Dustin Schlaefli ’96, ’97, Hays, was announced as a new United Way of Ellis County board member.

2000s

Raymond “Ray” Bergmeier ’05, Hays, was promoted to Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s senior manager of transmission policy and electric reliability corporation compliance.

Jamie (Heiman) Dreher ’03, ’03, Hays, was inducted into the FHSU 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame for women’s basketball.

Anne (Legleiter) Erbert ’07, Hays, was promoted to manager of member solutions with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation.

Rachel (Kroggman) Gibson ’03, Leona, was named the 2023 Outstanding Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Kansas Art Educator Association. She was also named the 2024 National Art Education Association’s Western Region Elementary Art Educator.

John Godfrey ’09, ’09, Shawnee, was hired by Governor Kelly as the Kansas State chief information security officer.

Matthew “Matt” Grabbe ’06, and Jennifer (Hall) Grabbe ’04, ’12, Hays, were chosen as one of ten families in Kansas as the 2023 Farm Family of the Year by the Kansas Farm Bureau Association.

Kiedra (Jenik) Hickert ’05, ’07, Ellis, was awarded the Kansas Speech-LanguageHearing Association Conference's Speech Pathologist of the Year award.

Robynn (Stewart) Hickert ’03, Hays, was hired as a customer service representative with Insurance Planning, Inc. Aaron Ladd ’09, Hays, was announced as a new United Way of Ellis County board member.

Lynn (Pfeifer) Leiker ’08, ’08, Hays, was honored for 15 years of service with HaysMed Teal (Landon) Sander ’04, ’05, Gorham, joined HaysMed’s Dreiling/ Schmidt Cancer Institute as a Radiology Oncology PA. Curtis Stevens ’00, ’02, Salina, was hired as the USD 305 superintendent.

Aaron Yoder ’09, ’10, Lindsborg, holds the world record for running a mile backward.

2010s

Tasha (Richmeier) Eichman ’12, Plainville, received Vyve Broadband’s Rising Star award.

Gretchen (Money) Elliott ’14, Lindsborg, was announced as a 2024 Kansas Regional Teacher of the Year.

Brock Funke ’10, Washington, was hired as Great Bend High School principal.

Baron Green ’19, Hays, was announced as FHSU’s new controller.

Megan Hagaman ’16, Salina, was hired as the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s assistant executive director.

Madison “Maddie” Holub ’13, Durham, N.C., was inducted into the MIAA Hall of Fame.

Hannah Jurgens ’18, ’18, Sparks, Nev., was honored as one of Nevada Sports Net’s most influential female coaches, athletes, or administrators in northern Nevada.

Hunter Nail ’15, Victoria, was hired as Benedictine College’s women's head soccer coach.

Nathan Purdue ’16, ’16, Hays, was hired as the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science’s mental health counselor and success coach.

Brent Schulte ’11, Hays, received the Grow Hays Robert E. Schmidt Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Grant Storey ’17, Kissimmee, Fla., was promoted to the Leadership Team at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando.

Shelbi Wiles ’19, Hays, was announced as a new United Way of Ellis County board member.

2020s

Cheyenne (Nickelson) Buhrle ’21, WaKeeney, was hired as a new Riverside Chiropractic provider.

Zebulun “Zeb” Callahan, ’20, Salt Lake City, Utah, was hired as an Assistant Athletic Trainer with the University of Utah Athletics.

Dillion “DJ” Engle ’20, Milwaukee, Wis., was announced as the Wichita Wind Surge pitching coach.

Lexi Gross ’21, Overland Park, was hired as a stadium content assistant with Sporting KC. Christien Ozores ’20, Russell, was hired as Salina South High School’s new head football coach.

Kodi Smith ’21, Belleville, was hired as a Flint Hills Discovery Center education specialist.

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TIGER NOTES IN MEMORIAM 1940s

Annabelle “Annie” (Montgomery) Curry ’45, Salisbury, Md., December 26, 2023 Georgia (Wolfram) Moore ’47, Hays, March 21, 2024 June (Stothard) Stellberg ’47, Madison, Wis., October 22, 2023

1950s

Harold “HR” Burnett ’54, Scott City, November 1, 2023 Joe Butcher ’57, Cimarron, November 3, 2023 Nancy (Paul) Champlin ’57, Concordia, March 26, 2023 Charles Evans ’57, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., October 26, 2023 Donald Foster ’52, Satanta, January 28, 2024 Richard “Dick” Franke ’59, Ashland, Ore., December 16, 2023 Leonard French ’57, Great Bend, April 5, 2024 Dan Heitmann ’56, Windsor, Colo., November 10, 2023 Frank “Bob” Henderson ’56, ’56, Hamilton, February 21, 2024

Harry Johnston ’50, ’57, Blue Rapids, December 6, 2023 Vernon “Ray” Kurtz ’55, ’59, ’63, Manhattan, October 23, 2023

Richard Ellis ’68, Mayfield, October 20, 2023 Francis “Neil” Folks ’61, Palisade, Colo., August 31, 2023

Janice (Rothe) Romeiser ’66, ’69, Hartford, October 22, 2023 Gary Saddler ’64, Denver, Colo., January 29, 2024

Donald “Don” Hrabik ’61, ’64, Overland Park, May 27, 2023

Max Schroeder ’62, ’63, Boulder, Colo., January 2, 2024

Everett Miller ’59, Concordia, October 5, 2023

Sharon (Hallagin) Jumper ’64, ’69, Colby, December 31, 2023

John Simmons ’68, Russell, January 4, 2024

Max Meuli ’57, Wichita, April 3, 2024

Darrell Latham ’69, Stockton, March 4, 2024

Edward “Ed” Proctor ’54, Bloomington, Ill., November 8, 2023

Virginia Lorbeer ’63, Aurora, Colo., March 15, 2024

Don “DJ” Vlasz ’64, Gainesville, Ga., February 15, 2021

James “Sparky” Lundin ’65, Charlotte, N.C., October 12, 2023

Barbara (Warner) Vratil ’64, Fort Collins, Colo., March 20, 2024

Janice (Leiker) Magana ’65, Bel Aire, February 27, 2024

Steve Worley ’66, Clay Center, January 19, 2024

Robert “Bob” McVicker ’59, ’69, Denver, Colo., March 19, 2024

L Joan “Joan” (Sample) Smith ’58, Minneapolis, March 29, 2024 Harold Stones ’58, ’58, Topeka, November 30, 2023 Richard Young ’58, Oden, Ark., November 18, 2023

1960s

Richard Ahlvers ’67, Great Bend, October 27, 2023 Michael Bogan ’66, Corrales, N.M., March 29, 2024 Marvin Cain ’67, ’71, Salina, December 3, 2023 Joe Dolezal ’65, ’71, Hays, October 25, 2023

48 ROAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024

Michael “Mike” Money ’62, Hill City, October 26, 2023 Jimmie “Jim” Nelson ’68, WaKeeney, March 4, 2024

James “Jim” Stansbury ’66, Hays, January 12, 2024

1970s

Darryl Apel ’71, Hays, January 16, 2024

Ronald “Joe” Nold ’62, Wichita, March 18, 2024

Arlyne (Drake) Basom ’76, Garfield, December 27, 2023

Neil Nulton ’69, ’70, Wichita, December 2, 2023

Reta (Egbert) Brouillette ’72, Goodland, March 25, 2024

Betty (Zweifel) Pruter ’63, Natoma, January 2, 2024 Jerome “Jerry” Reed ’61, ’70, ’89, Greenwood Village, Colo., March 2, 2024 Ken Richards ’63, Arlington, Texas, July 24, 2023

Sharla (Summers) Cooper ’77, Topeka, July 22, 2023 Susan (Robison) Elliott ’74, Olathe, March 25, 2024 Terence “Terry” Foster ’77, ’82, Russell, March 21, 2024

Martyn Howgill ’70, Lenexa, December 15, 2023 Robert “Rick” Keenan ’72, Littleton, Colo., February 1, 2024 Thomas “Tom” Kuhn ’75, ’83, Prairie Village, December 21, 2023 Betsy (Ellsaesser) Losey ’70, ’71, Hays, October 23, 2023

1980s

Christopher “Chris” Dinkel ’89, Hays, January 10, 2024 Loren Ginther ’83, Hays, March 12, 2024 Derk Hedlund ’81, Montezuma, October 6, 2023 Lynne (Ogles) Hewes ’84, Cimarron, November 6, 2023

Janet (Sprehe) Manning ’71, Norton, February 10, 2024

Sheryl (Hartig) Neeland ’83, ’93, Great Bend, September 29, 2023

Merle McLaren ’76, Hays, November 27, 2023

Karen Schueler ’87, ’96, Victoria, February 22, 2024

Barbara “Barb” (Taylor) Mullen ’72, ’82, Dodge City, January 6, 2024

Mitchel “Mitch” Sommers, ’81, ’93, Victoria, November 19, 2023

Janet (Clifton) Schroeder ’79, Sheridan, Wyo., September 29, 2023

Gail (Sack) Williams ’81, Russell, December 3, 2023

Arthur Thalheim ’72, Lewes, Del., September 23, 2023 Betty (Millhouse) Twitchell ’74, Larned, February 19, 2024 Verda (Goetz) Werner ’70, Victoria, January 13, 2024 Dale Young ’76, Thornton, Colo., November 16, 2020

Dion Yost ’80, Topeka, March 16, 2023

1990s

Jerry Buxton ’92, Scott City, February 25, 2024 Shana (Westerman) Carman ’96, ’98, Colby, March 30, 2024 Ronnie Cole ’90, Jetmore, October 24, 2023

Sandra (Davis) Harman ’95, Phillipsburg, November 15, 2023 Annette (Olson) LemertLarrabee ’96, Liberal, November 18, 2021 Sue (Leiker) Trimble ’99, Hays, October 22, 2023 Rebecca (Wilson) Warren ’92, WaKeeney, November 15, 2023

2000s

Martha (Hulstine) Mink ’02, Dodge City, December 26, 2023 Candi (Bernard) Wagner ’00, ’01, Russell, November 6, 2023

2010s

Jane (Nelson) Dickson ’11, Stafford, December 28, 2022 Ronald Whited ’16, Garden City, September 21, 2023

MARRIAGES 2010s

Kurt Breshears ’19, and Ashley Smith ’19, August 12, 2023 Christie Moeder ’15, and Kyle Jones, October 21, 2023 Charles Stewart ’19, and Brandi Zimmerman ’21, ’22, August 19, 2023 Brady Werth ’19, ’21, and Paris Wolf ’23, November 11, 2023

2020s

Colton Biltoft ’21, and Emma Harmon ’21, ’23, November 18, 2023 Sydney Devlin ’23, and Hesston Maxwell, December 30, 2023 Elizabeth Leidig ’20, and Chad Diederich, August 26, 2023 Kyle Hull ’21, ’23, and Aubry Appelhans ’23, September 9, 2023 Logan Widen ’20, ’21, and Mariah Hammersmith ’21, December 2, 2023

Dean Zerr ’71, ’95, Hays, December 27, 2023

FHSU.EDU

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