CAMPUS NEWS

NASA grant brings Kansas teachers to FHSU

With funding from the Kansas NASA Space Grant, Fort Hays State University’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute (SMEI) organized and hosted a four-day summer workshop. Kansas middle school science educators spent the week at FHSU, learning to incorporate engineering activities into their classrooms.

Under the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Kansas teachers are expected to incorporate more hands-on learning and engineering into their lessons. One of the main objectives of the NASA grant is to expand opportunities in science and engineering education, which aligns closely with the NGSS.

“We have an amazing venue for these teachers to explore and learn,” said Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education and Anschutz Professor of Education and professor of physics. “The Science and Mathematics Education Institute Makerspace, housed here in the Forsyth Library and mostly funded through alumni donations, offers a space unique to Fort Hays State and is well suited for these activities.”

Dr. Adams also recruited exceptional teachers with significant expertise in incorporating STEM learning in the classroom to lead the workshop – high school teachers Andrew Taylor and Matt Peterie.

The attending educators experienced what it is like to be students once again at the workshop. An example of a classroom activity they experienced included teams of teachers creating parachutes and protective landing vehicles for eggs that were to be dropped from the top of Tomanek Hall.

Dr. Hendratta Ali named President’s Distinguished Scholar

Dr. Hendratta Ali, associate professor of geosciences, was named the 2021 President’s Distinguished Scholar at Fort Hays State University.

“She has 15 peer-reviewed publications, over 50 refereed abstracts, and presented both nationally and internationally. Recently, she has secured two National Science Foundation grants that total near $400,000,” said Dr. Jill Arensdorf, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs and emcee of ceremonies at the 2021 FHSU fall convocation.

The President’s Distinguished Scholar Award was first conferred in 1989. Nominees for this honor are evaluated by analysis of their performance in the categories of research and creative activities, service, and instruction. Superior levels of performance must be demonstrated in service and instruction, with the primary focus of this award on research and creative activities.

Several other awards were also presented at the convocation.

Dr. April Park, associate professor of psychology, was named Faculty Member of the Year. The Faculty Member of the Year is selected from the past year’s recipients of faculty awards for teaching, for research and scholarly activity, and for service.

Park, and Dr. Jonathan Sumrall, associate professor of geosciences, were the winners of last year’s awards for research and scholarly activity.

The 2020-2021 awards for service were awarded to Dr. Sarah Broman Miller, assistant professor of teacher education, and Jacque Jacobs, program specialist in communication sciences and disorders.

Last year’s outstanding teaching awards went to Selena Bonomelli, instructor of health and human performance, and Dr. April Terry, associate professor of criminal justice.

Brooke Mann, instructor of psychology, was named the John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor. This award recognizes faculty members for their commitment, time, and energy in promoting undergraduate research.

The “Closing the Loop” Departmental Assessment Award went to the Department of Leadership Studies. This award recognizes a department that implements improvements in its degree programs.

The Department of Computer Science won the Advancing Assessment Award. This award recognizes departments that make advances in their program assessment procedures.

For the first time since 2014, Fort Hays State University’s highest honor – the President’s award – was given. President Tisa Mason presented the distinction to the Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies (TILT) Department for it substantial contributions to the university through professional and personal achievements.

“In just three short weeks, TILT helped overhaul the entire China program to deliver online learning when the pandemic shut down the 2020 spring semester,” Dr. Mason said. “They worked tirelessly to create and update the website to provide resources for students and faculty, oversaw a significant transition to the university’s online student learning system, and created a Tiger2Tiger student support program.”

FHSU launches MBA in agribusiness

Fort Hays State University is once again addressing the needs of students, the agricultural industry, and the regional workforce with the launch of a new Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree concentration in agribusiness. This innovative new online and oncampus program was developed to prepare students for management and leadership roles in one of the most critical, fast-moving, and high-tech industries in the world – agriculture.

“This will prepare students for management and leadership roles in one of the most critical, fast-moving, and high-tech industries in the world – agriculture”, said Dr. Muhammad Chishty, dean of RCOBE. “The new courses in agribusiness were created by faculty from the agriculture department who are specialists in the discipline. Our program is unique in combining the MBA degree with an Agribusiness concentration”.

Agriculture is the single largest economic driver in Kansas, contributing nearly $65.7 billion annually to the Kansas economy and generating more than 254,000 jobs through direct, indirect, and inducedeffect careers.

“Kansas is a national leader in agriculture and innovation in the food, fiber, energy, education, agribusiness, and animal health sectors, and the diverse industry is driving career growth and investment opportunity here in Kansas and around the world,” said Dr. Brian Sancewich, assistant professor of agriculture. “FHSU’s new MBA in agribusiness concentration prepares students to excel in the highly specialized agriculture industry whether that’s in at a soleproprietorship or a fortune 500 company.”

Students can now enroll in Fort Hays State University’s new MBA in agribusiness, online or on campus. The online MBA in agribusiness concentration was designed for working professionals, enabling them to get the degree by taking online classes while still working full-time.

The Robbins College of Business’ MBA program courses are offered in five accelerated, eight-week long terms during the calendar year, providing more choice and flexibility, helping students finish the program more quickly, and has dedicated professional advisors to help guide students through the MBA process. The MBA program also has a rolling admission process that allows for multiple start dates throughout the year and does not require the GMAT or GRE.

The MBA in agribusiness option provides a seamless pathway for traditional students to complete an MBA – some completing a bachelor’s and MBA in only five years through FHSU’s BBA to MBA program. The accelerated program is designed for high-performing Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students desiring an MBA in an accelerated timeframe. Qualified students have the opportunity to earn a BBA and an MBA in a 4 + 1-year time frame – saving time and earning valuable credentials.

The MBA in Agribusiness is one of 15 career-related concentration areas available allowing students to expand their knowledge in a specific discipline.

FHSU awarded $1.25 million grant

The Fort Hays State University Department of Criminal Justice and University Police Department were awarded a $1.25 million grant from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The Community Policing Development Program grant will support the Regional De-escalation Training Center, which was established in August of 2020.

The training that is provided inperson and online by Fort Hays State will teach law enforcement officers techniques that can help resolve potentially dangerous confrontations.

“This is essential training for today’s law enforcement professionals here in Kansas and across the nation,” FHSU President Tisa Mason said. “We are immensely grateful to Sen. Jerry Moran and the Justice Department for their work in bringing this federal grant to Fort Hays State, and we look forward to expanding the university’s important work and leadership in this emerging field.”

The training provided by FHSU places the university at the forefront of this vital law enforcement training initiative. Dr. Tamara Lynn, department chair and associate professor, serves as president of the NDTC’s Executive Council, responsible for coordinating all regional training centers.

“This award will allow the regional training centers to provide advanced de-escalation training to law enforcement across the U.S. at little to no cost,” Dr. Lynn said. “In this region, many agencies employ fewer than ten officers and lack funding for training, making this award even more important.”

Lynn and FHSU Police Chief Ed Howell are co-directors of Fort Hays State’s regional training center, and Dr. Morgan Steele, assistant professor, serves as the research coordinator for the center.

“In today’s environment of de-funding the police, negative perceptions regarding police legitimacy and civil unrest, it is paramount that police officers apply evidence-based deescalation skills and techniques,” Chief Howell said.

“Our regional training center will provide de-escalation training, using the DISC Esoterica© model, to various agencies across Kansas, the contiguous states, and to the Canadian border,” Howell continued. “This grant award validates our curriculum and will facilitate the service we provide to our region.”

FHSU among the best in National Financial Planning competition

Fort Hays State University’s threeperson financial planning team placed third in the 2021 Financial Planning Challenge, beating out some of the nation’s top schools and improving on last year’s fourth-place finish. Two much larger schools – Texas Tech and Kansas State – placed first and second, respectively, this year.

In just her second year as coach of the financial planning team, Dr. Christina Glenn acknowledges the impressive record of FHSU teams and credits the financial planning program for helping prepare these teams for this competition and beyond.

“We hold our own against much larger programs in the nation; however, our program has unique benefits students cannot find anywhere else - affordable education, smaller class sizes, and more one-on-one faculty interaction,” said Glenn, assistant professor of economics, finance, and accounting. “FHSU is a great place to earn a bachelor’s degree in finance while gaining the education and knowledge necessary to become a certified financial planner,” she said.

FHSU’s team was comprised of Ethan Lang, Seth Thompson, and Kaden Wren – all students in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

The competition includes three phases over the course of several months, including creating a financial plan based on a hypothetical case study, presentation of their plan to a panel of judges, and a “How Do You Know?” challenge. In the final challenge, teams compete in a Jeopardy-style quiz competition over the major areas of financial planning. Glenn was impressed with this year’s team, noting that it was unique in that it consists of a younger group of students – all underclassmen.

“I was confident that their work ethic would help them be successful, and they didn’t let me down. I am extremely proud of this team and grateful to be a part of their financial planning journey,” she said. “No doubt these young men will be successful in their careers.”

FHSU’s Journey campaign surpasses goal

Fort Hays State University’s Journey campaign kicked off Homecoming of 2016 with a goal of raising $100 million in support of FHSU and its students over a five-year period. Not only was that ambitious goal reached – it was surpassed. FHSU announced this fall that the Journey campaign raised a total of $112,769,457.

These donations will significantly impact the lives of Fort Hays State students for years to come. Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU’s president, remarked on how the contributions of our donors shape the lives of students:

“There are thousands of student success stories at Fort Hays State. Each embodies unique themes of challenge and perseverance,” she said. “Their stories are our stories. And our story is one of love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. Our story is about everyday heroes, amazing grace, and tomorrow’s leaders.”

To illustrate how the philanthropy of our donors can change the trajectory of a student’s life, we need only look at the story of one student – Liz Gomez. As a first-generation student who had to overcome many financial hurdles to be at FHSU, Liz knows better than most the impact that scholarships can have.

Gomez expressed her gratitude toward FHSU’s benefactors, saying, “The impact that you are making on the life of a student is more than you can ever know. If it wouldn’t have been for those scholarships and that help, I wouldn’t be at this institution, and quite honestly, I don’t know if I would have been able to go to school. Scholarships are so important and continue to be important. It truly changes your future.”

Gomez is among the many students at Fort Hays State to have been positively impacted by the Journey campaign.

“We are grateful and humbled to have had more than 24,000 donors contribute to our Journey campaign over the last five years,” said Jason Williby, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation. “Each and every gift has contributed to an education, a bright future, and lives changed. Our Tiger family is simply the best.”

FHSU offers new internship opportunities for psychology undergrads

Beginning this fall, Fort Hays State University undergraduates in psychology will have the opportunity to apply for participation in an internship at new partner locations. Initiated by department chair Dr. Dharma Jairam, this program is the first of its kind for psychology.

“We have launched a new internship program for undergraduate students and have already partnered with four local organizations that will provide these internships,” Dr. Jairam said. “Students will be able to get vital hands-on experience and earn college credit.”

Currently, the program partners include the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Early Childhood Connections, Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, and FHSU’s Health and Wellness Services. Jairam is optimistic that the number of partners will grow quickly. He anticipates having at least one more before the fall semester begins and over twice this number by spring 2022.

Jairam believes the program can expand beyond Hays and across the state of Kansas, making it possible for students who attend through one of the virtual programs to also complete an internship in the future.

“We have found that our virtual students often want more ways to connect with the university, and these internships could be a way to further that relationship,” Jairam said.

FHSU launches new virtual campus tour

While there is no substitute for seeing the most vibrant college campus on the High Plains in person, a new virtual tour that launched this fall is designed as a preview of the Fort Hays State University experience.

“We knew that as we begin to expand our recruitment efforts into areas of the country that likely don’t know Fort Hays State that well, we would need a way to showcase living and learning at FHSU in a way that would create a heightened interest in visiting campus,” said Dr. Dennis King, associate vice president for enrollment management.

Visitors to the virtual tour can interact with dynamic videos and location hot spots at more than 45 key campus facilities and event spaces to get an insider’s perspective on the Fort Hays State experience. Videos feature students, faculty, and senior leaders, who share the innovation, determination, and ethic of care that distinguish FHSU.

The virtual tour is a resource for prospective on-campus students and families looking to become more familiar with the campus, a way for alumni to see how the campus has evolved throughout the years, and for online students worldwide to engage with their home-away-from-home in Hays.

To explore Fort Hays State’s campus via the new virtual tour, go to fhsu.university-tour.com.

Taco Shop increases offering of FHSU student employee scholarships

Through the years, the Hays business community has proven its generosity in support of Fort Hays State University and its students. Robert Long, owner and manager of Taco Shop, a popular Hays restaurant, serves as a prime example.

Taco Shop previously had three $1,000 annual scholarships available to their FHSU student employees at the restaurant, and Long recently added two additional $1,000 scholarships.

“With everything that’s been going on, we had five employees apply for scholarships this year instead of three,” Long said. “I didn’t want to turn anyone down, and I know that every little bit helps.”

Long is a former Fort Hays State student himself, coming to campus in 1992 to take courses in accounting, marketing, and management. Although he never graduated, Long remembers his time as a student well. Through his experience, he knows how expensive college can be and wants to help his employees have the best possible chance of success in reaching their dreams.

The Taco Shop scholarships started out as what Long describes as “a combination of an incentive and a reward.” The aim is to give students the motivation to keep working hard but also to recognize their accomplishments thus far and experience the satisfaction of a team working together.

When Long began his business career, he was taught that labor is the biggest cost in running a business. However, as the world is changing, he sees labor as an investment. Doing more for his team members, whether by increasing hourly wages, allowing time off, or providing scholarships, may potentially retain employees. More importantly, it can improve their quality of life.

“We’re all trying to get through life,” Long said. “It’s just a philosophical approach of trying to do more to help everyone.”

After 28 years working with a multitude of student employees, Long still finds it “exciting to see kids come to college, find real success, and move on. It’s part of the process.”