PUTTING THE
“Home ”
IN HOMECOMING Alumni fondly remember their time at FHSU
R
by DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN
oy and Carolyn (LeClair) Blackwood were enthusiastic about making it to this year’s Fort Hays State University Homecoming activities, since both the 1970 and 1971 classes were going to be honored. The couple, both graduates of 1970, were looking forward to their 50th class reunion and induction into the university’s Half Century Club last year. Unfortunately, the in-person 2020 Homecoming activities were canceled because of the pandemic. The Blackwoods made the 1,000mile, two-day trip to Hays and took it all in. “We wanted to enjoy all aspects of Homecoming and Octoberfest. We wanted to enjoy Hays as well as the university,” Carolyn said. “We wanted to experience the warmth of old and new friendships.” The Blackwoods grew up in north central Kansas – Roy in Belleville and Carolyn in Mankato. After their FHSU graduation, the couple moved
photography by FHSU ARCHIVES
to Boulder, Colo., before eventually making their home in Hammond, La. While they had not made it back for Homecoming until this year, they made the most of it. “We spent a lot of time reminiscing,” Blackwood said. “Memories would pop up that had been buried over time. We enjoyed sitting on a bench in the quad and visualizing the chapters of our college years.” She said they particularly enjoyed seeing the transformation of so many old buildings, including the amazing expansion of the art department – the new Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design was completed in 2019 – and the repurposing of Sheridan Hall to the state-of-the-art Beach/ Schmidt Performing Arts Center. Sheridan was home to Tiger basketball games before Gross Memorial Coliseum was built and opened in 1973. Sheridan, one of the oldest buildings on campus, was ROAR
| 42 |
FALL/WINTER 2021
completely renovated in 1991. Sherry Chaffin, who has fond memories of cheering on the Tigers in Sheridan’s “snake pit,” said she could talk for hours about her alma mater. “We can’t say enough good things about Fort Hays State,” she said. “We loved being involved then, and we still do.” “It was an amazing place, so many down-to-earth people,” added Chaffin, who was a student employee in the Department of Education. “The professors really cared about their students and wanted them to succeed. And they still do today.” Fort Hays State made such an impact on the Chaffins that they wanted to ensure future students would have a similar experience. That’s a major reason the Chaffins, who live in Hays, decided to increase their giving this year and chose to concentrate on something near and dear to them – athletics. They became Difference Makers, the top echelon of
