Alumni News

2022 Commencement award winners

The three highly coveted awards given out at the end of each spring semester by the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association recognize the exceptional efforts and achievements of FHSU students and faculty.

Alec Bevis, Wichita, received the Torch Award as the outstanding graduating senior of the class of 2022 at Fort Hays State University. The award was created in 1974.

Alison Helget, Hays, and Mary Kathy Robb, Kansas City, Mo., were co-winners of the Lighthouse Award honoring the outstanding graduate student for the academic school year. This award was first given in 2018.

Ken Windholz, instructor of psychology, was named the recipient of the Pilot Award as the outstanding faculty member for the academic school year. The Pilot Award was created in 1974 and is based upon nominations from the current graduating class.

From left, Ken Windholz, Mary Kathy Robb, Alec Bevis, and Alison Helget.

Torch Award recipient Bevis received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry and plans to pursue a graduate degree in biochemistry. Bevis, a standout for the Tiger men’s soccer team, has multiple Ph.D. program offers pending.

Helget, co-winner of the Lighthouse Award, maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while earning her bachelor’s degree in history from FHSU in three years. She also graduated summa cum laude with a master of arts in history this spring. She will begin work on a Ph.D. this fall at Texas Christian University.

Mary Kathy Robb, co-winner of the Lighthouse Award, also graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA with a master of fine arts with an emphasis in ceramics. During her FHSU career, she earned three Graduate Scholarly Experience grants and put one to use in developing a unique blend of fired and unfired surfaces on one of her ceramic sculptures.

Windholz, the Pilot Award recipient, is highly regarded for his teaching style and “keeping students engaged through the class.” Windholz was nominated by four separate students for this award.

Jones “pushed to be better” at FHSU

Some of the most valuable lessons for Demetrias Jones as a Fort Hays State University studentathlete were learned out of the classroom.

A member of the Tiger track and field team during his time at FHSU, Jones said he and his teammates “always pushed one another to be better.”

When not pushing himself on the field, the Salina native was challenging himself to explore future career paths. His interest in technology and constantly wanting to try new things led him to pursue a degree in management information systems.

Graduating in 2015, Jones was hired by one of the largest general aviation companies in the world, Textron Aviation, as a software developer. Jones’ experience encouraging his FHSU teammates easily translated to supporting his new coworkers at Textron Aviation in Wichita.

Demetrias Jones

Jones is now taking on major initiatives as the Manager of IT Customer Experience for Textron. One such initiative was a COVID-19 Applications Suite that allows Textron employees to retrieve and input necessary information.

Jones’ hard work and innovation are not going unnoticed. Earlier this year, he received the 2022 David L. Steward Legacy Award as Black Engineer of the Year. The award recognizes collaborative leaders and successful innovators in the tech sector.

Jones’ challenging spirit motivates him to learn new things every day.

“There are so many seasons in life and things are always changing,” he said, “so find what excites you and makes you feel fulfilled.”

College of Education Alum wins Presidential Award

Michelle Dillard is a firm believer in continuing to seek professional growth, and she is being rewarded for it.

Dillard, a 2011 graduate of Fort Hays State University, has taught for 16 years, primarily in the Denver Metropolitan area. Earlier this year, she received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. This is the highest recognition for K-12 STEM/computer science teachers in the United States.

Dillard now will help open a new school in Centennial Colo., the Dr. Justina Ford Elementary School, where she will teach fifth grade beginning the 2022-23 school year.

Michelle Dillard

“We as educators pursue excellence in our field on behalf of our students who deserve the very best every day,” Dillard said. “To me, the Presidential Award represents a tremendous honor and wonderful opportunity to partner with great educators to learn how to be the best we can be for our students.”

She took classes online, allowing her the flexibility to learn at home while teaching and taking care of her three children. She earned her master of science degree in education with a concentration in linguistically and culturally diverse education.

As a certified classroom and English Language Development teacher, Dillard says that she uses daily what she learned at FHSU about culturally diverse learners to meet the needs of her students.

“Every student deserves to be continually awed and humbled by all there is to learn about our world, and we as teachers should provide exceptional educational opportunities for all students to explore and grow,” Dillard said.

FHSU grad hired as Big 12 coach

Jacie Hoyt, a native of Hoxie, was named head coach of Oklahoma State women’s basketball program in March. She said her successful coaching career was expedited by her experience at Fort Hays State University.

After playing college basketball and graduating from Wichita State University, Hoyt came to Fort Hays State to complete her master’s, along with hopes to continue her college basketball career. An unfortunate injury quickly shifted her plans. Although she wasn’t able to compete on the court, Hoyt took on an important coaching role as a graduate assistant for the FHSU women’s basketball team.

“Coach (Tony) Hobson included me, leaned on me, and made me feel like I was an important member of the team,” she said.

While Hoyt says not being able to play was hard, the community she found at FHSU was very supportive.

Jacie Hoyt

Hoyt graduated from FHSU in 2011 with a master of science in communication. She set her sights on continuing her coaching career, following in the footsteps of her mother, Shelly Hoyt ‘01, a legendary Kansas high school coach. Shelly Hoyt coached the Hoxie girls to a staterecord 107 consecutive victories and four consecutive state championships.

“I can’t really say I grew up wanting to be a coach; I just wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Jacie Hoyt said. “But I can say that I was encouraged and inspired by watching my mom coach.”

Hoyt’s competitive spirit and love for the game quickly landed her an assistant coach position at the University of Nevada before taking a similar position at Kansas State University. In 2017, Hoyt was hired as head coach for the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she guided her team to the 2020 Western Athletic Conference regularseason championship.

As the new head coach for Oklahoma State women’s basketball, Hoyt is looking forward to building and empowering her team as it competes in the Big 12 Conference.

We want to hear from you, whether it’s new employment, honors, appointments, or births. Visit FHSUalumni.com/alumniupdate; send your news to FHSU Alumni Association, One Tiger Place, Hays, KS 67601; or email alumni@fhsu.edu.