On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University chief communications officer Scott Cason shares some of the achievements from FHSU during the year.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University choirs director Terry Crull shares information about upcoming university concerts.   Transcript: EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.   James Bell  For the State University choirs are preparing for their last show of the academic year. Director Terry cruel stops by to share with us a little bit about what they're going to be performing and when, on this episode of the post podcast   Terry Crull  and of the year concerts Yep, we're preparing last night the orchestra and I worked on our last piece. The Hayes Symphony Orchestra is the company my choirs on Frances pool onx Gloria, beautiful setting. And then hey, Symphony Orchestra will play. Very famous piece. Hector Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique are very cool. Yeah, great piece, very picturesque, kind of the start of programmatic music where you tell a story with it, too. So they've been working hard on it. It's a it's a, it's a big bite for them to choose, hey, symphony orchestra, but they're working their tails off. So it should be a fun concert Sunday night 730 and beach Schmidt, free to the public.   James Bell  I love that all of the concerts down there Fort Hays and you see me down there for almost every one I hit drag my kids down there probably two or three. It's such a great assets of the community to have those free concerts. And, you know, while it's not quite could not quite professional level, those students sure get darn close.   Terry Crull  We think we think our kids are on the road to that if that's their career choice. And we hope people will come and hear it and say, Wow, those kids got some stuff going on because they do they work hard. And a lot of talent fun to work with them every day. So   James Bell  yeah, it seems like this year you've had you had a really great group. I mean, every year is good. But this year, I don't know. It seems like there was just really a few field   Terry Crull  trip like two why kind of bonds a group together. So he developed a spirit of esprit de corps that it's really fun to see they're working hard. No complaints in that group hardly ever. I mean. That's that goes to the concert choir and our bands and our jazz groups to Brad just gave his last performance. He's given up the jazz bands, turning them over to our new percussion and band instructor Ryan Pearson. So   James Bell  young guy I don't know, guys   Terry Crull  just out of graduate school. He's been here a year on part time, and now we hired him full time. And his wife was out. They did their joint recital. He's a percussionist, of course, she's a clarinetist. She played amazingly well, too. And I think they bought a house and hey, so hey, they're coming here.   James Bell  They're here. They're stuck. Yeah, very cool.   Terry Crull  Pass the bond issue they'll have a nice new school for when their kids get there. Yeah, well, we'll see how that goes.   James Bell  But But yeah, so suddenly, so is all this piece is going to be set with the orchestra is just   Terry Crull  the orchestra is grand finale concert, and every other year we join them for a combined orchestral work. And the concert is called voyage to France because Hector Berlioz for the orchestra and Francis Poulenc for the choirs, and we did his Gloria wants 10 or 12 years ago, was a guest conductor. Dr. availa Allen or soprano is doing the soul. The soprano solo work three of the six movements. So we'll start off with that plonk, Glory acquires behind the orchestra. And I bail out front and meet conducting. And then after intermission the symphony fantastic. It's 5055 minute work as long five movements but it's great story. If you know that piece. It's about a artist in France who goes into a drug induced trance and has this horrendous dream. When they first played Symphony fantastic. It caused a riot. I mean, they had to bring the police in because they really aren't used to that kind of grotesque in your face music you know, some of the harmonies some of the blasts of sound. The famous DS era that you hear do you do at the beginning of shining Jack Nicholson movie is a is from that work? The big brass sound. So it's a big orchestra, powerful orchestra. And the Poulenc is just sublime. I mean, it's beautiful melodies, great harmonies by the choir, they've had fun working on it. So we're excited. 730 Sunday night, voyage to France, free to the public. Love it. Love it. To the public. Do we say free to the public? Be free to them? Well, I don't know. Yeah. Military. I'm not used to this hour later time I spent the hour calling my 3200 listeners tell them I'm on at 845 instead of 740.   James Bell  Yeah, there's a little bit different but but, you know, I also I wonder I count how much work has to go into put in one of these shows. And, and everybody knows, I think that you know, I was a music student. So I was on the band side. But for choir, you know, of course, the band side there's that little bit of rivalry sometimes Right, like, they have that   Terry Crull  advantage of, you know, being able to pick stuff up more quickly. Although they have the disadvantage of not having all the parts in front of them, I'm singing a choir music, you've got the soprano part there as well as your tenor part or whatever. And when you're a bassoon as long as you have as your part in front of you, so you've got to listen hard and work beforehand to get familiar with the work so that you know how your, your part fits with the other parts. So there is that but yeah, the orchestra has been working, I think six rehearsals for this concert, which isn't very many four pieces complexes of the symphony. Fantastic. We even the choirs have been working while since our spring concert, which was March 10, I believe. So 340 minutes, 45 minute rehearsals a week and and to learn that it's in Latin. So the language presents a challenge, although it's pretty common Latin. So a lot of the kids have some of   James Bell  like any Latin is common lap, rock breaking in Latin   Terry Crull  text. I mean, Gloria in Excelsis day, I mean, every Christmas time. So they haven't had too much trouble with that. Poulenc is a little bit post romantic, a little bit modern, 20th century and that his style is classic in form. But his harmonies are more colorful, and lots of use of the woodwinds and the horns. And that's a great orchestra. They work so well. Brian buxted is our orchestra director, he's done. marvelous job at getting that orchestra, you know, up to snuff, so to speak, and, and playing consistently. Well always enjoyed their concerts. So   James Bell  yeah, and he was I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but he came in right before that pandemic, right. And then   Terry Crull  a lot of big concerts with them. Since he came in right at the end of that, yeah, so this year has been his debut year, I guess you could call it and they've done some great stuff. Of course, they have their children's concert in Halloween. We got that again next year. On Sunday, whatever, October 3 Year 29th, or whatever is close to Halloween. It's always a fun event. There'll be with us under cathedral concert next year, which was December 11. The strings Anyway, do some combined work with the choirs and then they always do their grand finale concert with some large works like this. And then every other year we joined them. So next year, I'll do my own masterworks choral concert with the choirs, and he'll do something with his orchestra. I don't know yet if he's got programming ideas, but for this year, it's voyage to France. Very cool. Again, it's Sunday at 730. Don't miss free,   James Bell  free and free no excuse not to go.   Terry Crull  No excuse not. Yep. NBA Playoffs aren't anywhere close to the end yet. So who's watching those? I didn't even know that was going on. Honestly, other in the early stages, you know, 28 teams that make the playoffs out of 29 teams. Oh, yeah. So yeah. Everybody makes up like not to select. But anyway, I watched when it gets down to the semis. There you go.   James Bell  So well, already. Certainly anything else you think folks need to   Terry Crull  know? Well, the last week of classes, the percussion ensemble will have their concert, and the bands will have their concert? Oh, let me see. What's the date? I think it's Thursday, which would be the 12th nor the fifth. So we exam week. Yeah, that's the last exam. So the fifth will be the band's concert. And I think the night before and Wednesday, the percussion will be in beach Smith. And those are all free as well. So wrapping up the year yeah, kids are excited the ball teams are trying to make the playoffs softball and baseball got a few those kids in my class. I gotta get to here in a few minutes. So it's always exciting at the end of the year when the weather turns nice guy. I wish we had some rain to soak us down a little bit good, but at least it's windy. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, in Kansas with my big motorcycle on the road with those windy. Oh, yeah. So always good to be with you, James. Thanks for having me on. I appreciate it. So he's kind of like, Hey, we got a contract this week. Can I get on tomorrow or the next day and you always accommodate me. So thanks a lot. I love your music program. I know you're a student there percussionist were Yeah, I was. Yeah. So you enjoy. Did you happen to come down when Ryan gave his faculty recital   James Bell  didn't I was I was wanting to I was so   Terry Crull  remember, he's fun to watch to kind of dances up there. My wife turned to me and said, you know, you could lose some weight. If you were a percussionist. He's going to workout Oh, yeah. So having been an athlete, I know that sometimes. I work just as hard in certain aspects. You know, we'll have conditioning that it didn't was a basketball player. But you work hard when you sing. We could play an instrument because

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University associate professor Whitney Whitaker shares information about the John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State University Alumni Association director of engagement Carolyn Tatro and board chair Mike Slattery share information about giving at FHSU.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University Rodeo team members Brent Hornbuckle and Jessi Ross share information about the upcoming FHSU rodeo.   Transcript: EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy. James Bell  For a state university set for the rodeo this weekend, team members Jesse Ross and Brent Hornbuckle stopped by to tell us a little bit about the festivities on this episode of the post podcast.   Brent Hornbuckle  Seven o'clock each night, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Thursday,   James Bell  Friday and Saturday. Now, if I remember correctly from the last time, you folks were here, the rodeo grounds, it's a little different now. Right?   Brent Hornbuckle  Actually, we are doing it at the Phillipsburg.   James Bell  Okay, so you're back out at the fairgrounds or at our rodeo arena at the college. Okay, see, this is why you gotta you got a clue straight out here. I don't know what's going on ever. So did the college Thursday, Friday, Saturday, seven o'clock, what are people going to see during the events?   Jessi Ross  So we'll have a mixture of rough stock and timed events. So there's bucking horses, ball ride and barrel racing, and a bunch of team roping and calf roping. Just a little bit. Everything.   James Bell  Fantastic. Yeah, that's what I love. You know, and that's the great part about rodeo. Right? It's it's a diverse, and you get to see all kinds of different showmanship.   Jessi Ross  Yes, it's definitely a thrill. It's never boring.   James Bell  Absolutely. Now, are you guys ready to go coming up this Thursday?   Brent Hornbuckle  as of tonight, we will be one more day of practice. Yeah, one more day of practice and prep. So excellent.   James Bell  If folks are wanting to go out there and see the events, what's the easiest and best way for them to do that? Did you have to get tickets? Or is this offering?   Brent Hornbuckle  Well, the you can buy advance tickets, which will save you a little money, you can pick those up at Orleans Vanderbilts and the Memorial Union on campus. Those tickets around you $8 for adults $5 for kids. And then if you do want to just come out to the rodeo at the gate the tickets for adults are $12 and the tickets for kids are eight and kids five and under get in for free. Okay, and that's per night, per night. Okay?   James Bell  All right, very good. And then so you know if for folks for those out there listening people like myself that aren't super familiar with rodeo Jesse knows who I'm talking about last time she was here I told her all about this. I don't know anything about rodeo you know what, what kind of expectations should people have going into this? Or is it just show up and have a good time?   Brent Hornbuckle  I wouldn't have much expectations and then show up and have a good time because you never know what's gonna happen. You could see really good runs, you could see pretty crazy wrecks and or you could see everything run smooth. You know, it's a rodeo, you can't ever plan for about anything to happen. You just hope for the best.   James Bell  Very cool. What do you guys have to do to get the grounds ready or is it is there really anything involved in that?   Jessi Ross  Well, we have to set banners you know, prep everything. And for the barrel racers out there. You want to get that ground really good. So in the past, we've had some pretty sketchy weather, but this weekend is looking beautiful, so we're hoping the ground will stay good antastic set everything up.   James Bell  What kind of weather is ideal for this? Are you looking for like that mid 60s Low breeze or do you like a little rain or overclass? How overcast? What's the best   Jessi Ross  Personally I'd like it sunny and 75 everybody bye. But you know in Kansas Beggars can't be choosers so you kind of have to plan for a little bit of wind but definitely not rain and snow.   James Bell  Yeah, no snow snow never is good for sports. Any sports I don't think unless you're a skier All right. Well, guys, I know you've got to get over to the bowl. Any other last thoughts or anything else we want to hit on before we go?   Brent Hornbuckle  No, we just hope to see a bunch of you out there and come support the Tigers. Very good.   James Bell  Again Thursday, Friday and Saturday seven o'clock on the Fort Hays State University rodeo grounds.   Brent Hornbuckle  Yep. Doug Phillip arena. It's on the golf course.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State University assistant professor of History Amber Nickell shares information about upcoming area holocaust remembrance events.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University's Docking Institute of Public Affairs research scholar Michael Walker and chief communication officer Scott Cason share information about a recent survey of FHSU student work habits.

On this episode of the Post Podcat, Fort Hays State University choirs director Terry Crull shares information about this weeks music activities.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Noelle Husmann, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association marketing program specialist along with alumni engagement strategist, Carolyn Tatro share information about upcoming association activities.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University associate vice president for Student Affairs Dennis King and Hays Academy of Hair Desgin owner Len Melvin stop by to share information about their new partnership program.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University president Tisa Mason and athletic director Curtis Hammeke share information about university sports during the upcoming spring semester.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Terry Crull, director of choral activities at Fort Hays State University, speaks about their trip to Hawaii to help commemorate the attacks at Pearl Harbor. 

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State University provost, Jill Arensdorf speaks about the direct benefits to the are provided by the university.   Transcript   James Bell  Fort Hays State University is more than just an education center for the region. It provides direct benefits to the community. Provost Jill Arensdorf stops by to talk a little bit about some of those benefits on this episode of the post podcast.   Jill Arensdorf  Obviously, the purpose of a Fort Hays State University and really higher education is to educate primarily our student population. However, we also have part of our mission to serve the public good. And many of our outreach programs and impact that we make in Kansas, specifically western Kansas, focus on what you called the impact of teaching and learning. And so I'll share just a few examples. And if you have questions about them, please please ask. But we have the fhsu Literacy Center. And that may be one that people aren't that familiar with, because it's relatively new is a partnership with the Hayes Masonic Lodge, and they're providing virtual and face to face helped area schools that need additional assistance in their reading skills. And this was really primarily due to the COVID 19 shutdown and some of the needs that came from that. And so this Literacy Center has, has risen and been created in the last year or so to provide that assistance that that students may need. In addition, you know, we've got great programs at Sternberg Museum and many people in the community and outside of the community and enjoy those educational outreach activities throughout the year. And then we have a gem in Great Bend with the Kansas wetlands Education Center. And that is connected to Fort Hays and folks might not realize that connection to Fort Hays and the educational opportunities that that provides.   James Bell  Yeah, that's something we talked about the events down there. And and I think that's one of those things. And I grew up near that region. I grew up in Stafford County. It is such a such a jewel down there. And it's really, you know, when you when I think about these events, you think about that drive, but my goodness, it's not that big of a deal, really, in the long run to get down there 45 minutes or so.   Jill Arensdorf  Yeah. And they've got I mean, they've got indoor and outdoor excursion activities and things going on all year. So I really hope that people can take advantage of that. You know, one other thing that if you drive through campus, many days, you won't see the maker van there but many days you will meet the maker van has programs for STEM. And so that maker van allows us to take our STEM show on the road so to speak, and and go into schools and communities to teach students about physics and science and using robots and the mobile planetarium and then our ever popular high altitude blond balloon experiments which go on pretty regularly throughout the year.   James Bell  Yeah, this stuff is so neat. I was I actually got to hang out with one of your Dean's Paul Adams the other day, the who's doing a robot session training session with some middle school teachers and may My goodness, how cool is this stuff? It's just, you know, and I'm pretty tech savvy, I'd like to thank but even the way that this is developing an education so quickly and rapidly, it's just It blows my mind.   Jill Arensdorf  Yeah, if we can get students excited about science at an early age through things like the maker band through things like Sternberg through things like the wetland center, they're more apt to maybe find that as a career path and passion as they choose higher education and a career. So I mean, there's obviously a reason for this outreach. And it's an important part of our mission at Fort Hays State University.   James Bell  Very cool. And that, you know, one other thing in that in that regard, we talked about the weekend center. I don't know that you want to talk a little bit about that one as well.   Jill Arensdorf  Yeah, it's relatively new. So this is a cooperation with USD 489. And the west central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, and several other regional school districts, and the Heartland Community Foundation, so a partnership with many entities. And it is a center where preschool and 18 to 21 year old transition programs occur where students are working with these populations preschool and then the 18 to 21 year olds, adults as they prepare to become teachers. And so it's just a, it's a unique new opportunity that for Hayes's has gotten involved in here in the local community, downtown, at the Hadleys at the Hadley old Hadley hospital, that Hadley building, and it has been a fantastic partnership thus far to create opportunities both for our students to learn but also to impact the community. Very cool.   James Bell  Yeah. And in schools, those economic are about I mean, educational opportunities are there's also some real economic benefits to having the university here and we hear about the Small Business Development Center and you know, Management Development Center as well. And I think that's a huge way that Fort Hays can help and especially right now with so many people going remote work and looking at those kind of things are working for themselves. It's got to have like a tremendous benefit on the area.   Jill Arensdorf  It is and you know, for higher education specifically for Hey, does make an impact on our business and economic development, as you said, and so, through the pandemic, and as we've come out of it, the Small Business Development Center and our management development center, have pivoted, and then they've grown from that and and have expanded their services and expanded the way that they're serving the western Kansas population. So I'll just give you a couple of quick examples. James, the Small Business Development Center for Hayes's the statewide host, but we also have a regional center. And so the numbers I'll share with you our regional numbers, for Hayes, the regional Small Business Development Center establishes and helps startup businesses. So lots of workshops and counseling services that can be done in person, but that also can be done remote now, because of our learning through the pandemic. And so this past year, the center has developed 78 workshops, assisted 124 established businesses in their regional area, which is primarily western Kansas, and then helped 14 new entrepreneurs launch business in this area, which is exciting for the economic drivers that we need to be as an institution and in our in our region. The Management Development Center is housed at Fort Hays State University as well provides lots of public workshops, the focus on customer service, managing people mastering business and communication software and applications. So really serving anyone that has needs in management leadership areas.   James Bell  Yeah, that's we talked about leadership earlier this week on the show and the difference between leadership and management and, and how that works and how it develops. And it is such an interesting field and Fort Hayes has been a leader, I think in in Leadership Studies and how that all not only academically, it comes together, but how it works in the practical world as well.   Jill Arensdorf  Yeah, you're right. Of course, I have some affinity for the Leadership Studies program since it's my home department. But the management development center that I think one of the beautiful things about that center, is that it utilizes expertise of not only our faculty, but business people and other people in the community that have a skill set that they can share with other folks. So they basically contract a facilitator. And then that facilitator uses their expertise to teach others about one of the areas that that we already discussed within the Management Development Center. One of the things I'll quickly mentioned, James, kind of connected to the business and economic development piece is an online bank management contest that the Robins banking Institute hosts each year, in coordination with Robins College of Business and Entrepreneurship. This institute actually engages community banks in Kansas, in this friendly bank simulation competition. So everyone likes a little healthy competition from time to time. And so this online bank management contest has been a fun way for the Institute in our community banks to compete and sharpen their banking skills as they compete.   James Bell  That's very fun. You know, it's one of the things I imagine it is, it is difficult to turn that into a fun activity. But that's a good time. You know, and the other thing speaking of, you know, the activity in the university helping the area, you know, a lot of ways I think the university just kind of generally makes life better out here, right?   Jill Arensdorf  Yeah, no, one of the things that I've always appreciated about living in western Kansas, and specifically now in Hays is that the quality of life is so good here. And our university contributes to that in a way that I'm certainly very proud of. An example of that would be the Herndon Speech Language Hearing Clinic, the clinic, His home is on campus, but the clinic is actually in its fifth year of providing mobile hearing screenings. This is a program sponsored again by the Kansas Masonic Foundation. And so in the last five years, the Herndon clinic, students, faculty and staff have actually provided over 830 free screenings in western Kansas communities, which is an amazing service. And it's amazing learning opportunity for our students who are in those programs. So that then when they're going out into their career, they have experience working in rural Kansas and rural communities and see the need out there and can help serve that need. Another example of just raising the quality of life in western Kansas is our Department of Geosciences is doing some research that's actually been funded by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to test private wells for contamination in western Kansas. So again, a great way for our students and faculty to connect to western Kansas communities and ensure that our water water is of high quality and is safe to drink and use.   James Bell  Yeah, because I mean, otherwise, those resources are harder to find. I mean, I've done some some water testing and I know you have to ship that off and it's, you know, it gonna be a few days where you're doing a locally, just quicker and easier and And again, they're great learning.   Jill Arensdorf  Absolutely. Do we have time to talk about more? Yeah. Okay. So as I, as I came over to the station today, I walked literally walked by the senior companion and Foster Grandparent Program Office, which is now housed in rare at call. These are programs for our local seniors that fill a need on our community for services for our citizens over 55. And so if you're interested in getting involved, we have a director that that would be very anxious to visit with with you if you're interested in getting involved with our senior companion and Foster Grandparent Program. And then we have just ongoing partnerships with the pace Public Library in our downtown art and event venues to host exhibitions and poetry readings and author book signings which all contribute to the quality of life in the community. And so we have lots of students in lots of different departments that are collaborating with downtown Hayes, to to raise, raise our appreciation, maybe for the arts, but also to allow people to participate in a unique way. this coming Saturday is another great event that we have, probably you've probably talked about, in fact, I think I heard about it on the radio on my way up here, the teaming up for Tots toy assembly that will occur this Saturday in the Department of Applied Technology. I can't remember James how many years this has been going on. But it's been going on for many, many years. 200 wooden toys will be assembled from start to finish for children ages two to six. And those will be delivered just in time for Christmas. But if you haven't, if you haven't ever been to that event, it's it's it's really powerful to go in and see the community come together with students and faculty to contribute in a meaningful way and also honor a former Applied Technology faculty member Fred Ruda, the toy, the teaming up for Tots toy assembly is named after him. And he started that program. And it's just a really cool way to get into the spirit of the season, but also to contribute to the community.   James Bell  Absolutely. Yeah, I remember even as an undergrad here, I think it was a student reporter for the student newspaper, and I wrote some stories with with Dr. Ruta when he was doing that program back then. Yeah, it's it's cool. And I love that it's been able to continue and even expand and grow a   Jill Arensdorf  little bit. Yes, yes, I and there's, I think they sometimes have more volunteers than they then they have toys, but but it's just because people find the work so meaningful. And so I believe this year, there's a team of students that's working with Big Brothers Big Sisters. And so they're connecting that project into the teaming up for Tots toy assembly as well. Which actually leads me to another example. Our university athletes, many of them serve as Big Brothers and Big Sisters are for the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Ellis County programs spending their time with students that need to mentor in their lives. And so that's a way that our, many of our students and many of our faculty and staff are connected to youth in the community through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.   James Bell  Yeah, that's awesome. Cool program and and even cooler when you got to Fort Hays athletes, you know, leading the charge. Exactly,   Jill Arensdorf  exactly. I think I think in some ways, in some of those pictures, I see I think, impacts probably the Big Brother or Big Sister just as much as it impacts the little already cool. Yeah, very cool.   James Bell  Well, we've just got just about a minute or so left, we got to get over to weather. But any last thoughts before we go?   Jill Arensdorf  Well, James, thank you so much for this time that you afford to us on a very regular occasion to talk about Fort Hays State University. I respect our university and love it very much. And we have a very much a shared commitment to service. President Mason often often refers to this as the ethic of care. That's what makes for hasty different. And I think the examples we've talked about here, show that we really care about our students, our faculty and staff, but also our community and that that mission that we hold as high in higher education of the public good. speaks through these examples of outreach that we've talked about this morning, and we can talk probably for 30 more minutes and not cover everything. But as people get into the spirit of the season, I hope that you find a way to get connected to your community and appreciate the outreach that we all bring in.

Transcript James Bell  Fort Hays State University is set to celebrate Veterans this week, President Tisa Mason talks to us about that and more on this episode of the Post Podcast.   Tisa Mason  We're really excited. And actually, I would say a year or so ago, when the fabulous Senator Jerry Moran was on our campus, we talked about what we were doing with the National De-escalating Training Center, which we started actually in August of 2020. And we're a part of a national network that is definitely working on education to provide both in person and online, law enforcement professionals with some new skills in their toolkit and techniques to defuse potentially dangerous situations, which we know happens all the time. Or more often than we want. And not just with law enforcement, it happens in all of our lives. And so these are really, you know, great skills. And we're really excited about that. So this grant is going to help us as the $1.25 million grant from the Department of Justice, and really, Senator Moran was very instrumental in facilitating the awarding of this grant. So we're excited we're going to have on campus to celebrate his efforts and our ability to move forward. He'll be here on November 23, when we will, officially and ceremonially accept the grant.   James Bell  Love it. Um, is there? Is there an event planned yet? Or is it still kind of in the works a little bit   Tisa Mason  It is planned.   James Bell  Okay. Well, we'll keep an eye out for some details there. Um, oh,   Tisa Mason  4 p.m.   James Bell  Yes. Okay, there we go.   Tisa Mason  4 p.m. at the Fischli Wills Center.   James Bell  I love that, because officially wills what a perfect opportunity, if you haven't yet to get in there and see that new building that thing is amazing.   Tisa Mason  It's fun to have it there too, because it's about success. That's a building about student success. And this is about world of success.   James Bell  Absolutely. And from my understanding, you had some contributions that kind of helped technology-wise with that whole thing, right?   Tisa Mason  Well, you know, I'm a huge fan of our Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies team, which are our instructional design teams that build and work with faculty on all our outstanding distance learning. And so the team that is working with the De-escalation Training Center, matched up with TILT the Teaching Innovation and Learning Technology so that they could create really immersive safe paced scenario based learning experiences for the people that will be going through this program. So again, we're I'm we're married, marrying, so to speak, rich content and skill building with a history of strong online learning platforms. And that's one of the things that we're really good at.   James Bell  Yeah, I was gonna say online education. When you think online education, at least in the Midwest, I think Fort Hays is always the top of that conversation. Oh, very cool. Well, moving on. Also, you know, it's we're coming up on Veterans Day. Oh, I think it's a, you know, week or so week and a half away from now. And you're going to be celebrating that as well down at Fort Hays State.   Tisa Mason  Yeah, I love the opportunity to say thank you to our military and of course, Veterans Day gives us the ability to do that, especially for those who are serving now. And we're going to have lots of activities on campus. Participants can see a flag in a poster display that celebrates our heritage with the connection to the military. We have a strong connection with military, military programs, and other ways that we work with our service members of whom we for whom we are very, very grateful for. That will happen in both the Memorial Union and Fishchli Wills Center for Student Success. We also have an opportunity to folks to leave messages in recognition of family members who have answered the call to duty. Again, very grateful I'm and the daughter and the sister of a veteran so it hits home with me for sure. On Thursday at 11 o'clock. We're going to host our annual Veterans Day ceremony on the quad side of the Memorial Union. And then at our outstanding we're going to win football game on Saturday. We will have a Military Appreciation and a Senior Day. I understand from Matt Cook will be managing horses, people and motorcycles for that game so it should be a fun football game.   James Bell  Very cool. Yeah, go out it very least cheer on the Tigers and help us celebrate those military professionals that yes, are very important to us. Every, all of us really. There's one other thing we want to hit on before we go. And that's, you know, the COVID thing. Fort Hays State, you know you guys have done a pretty good job. I think down there you we haven't seen a whole lot of activity there. But one of the things that I think is been huge in the news is the D-one schools, the vaccine mandates they are mandating, but Fort Hays is going a different way, right?   Tisa Mason  Yeah, we have not implemented a vaccine mandate. We did have an incentive program I think we talked about at this point, I think we are a little above approximately 80 percent of our faculty and staff. I don't recall the percentage off the top my head for the students, but I know that it's over 50 percent of our students as well. Most importantly, we have to be careful of our residential students, and isolation and our high has been well, it was three students till the other day, we're up to four students. But it's been very minimal. We've really done really well with people making local decisions. But what happened recently is the federal government said that they were going to put language in federal contracts. So research institutions are particularly going to have to make decisions about a vaccine mandate whether they wanted to do one or not, and turning down contracts from the federal government because there's a lot at research institutions. For Fort Hays State right now, although we have grants and contracts. At this point, we reviewed all of them, not one of them, includes the language. So we are watching, we are studying, if we get a contract that hasn't, we'll have a conversation about whether we turn it down or move forward. And our hope is not to have to do a mandate. It's really unfortunate, quite frankly, that we've been put in this position but so far, we're holding strong we do not have to mandate and we are going to continue with our excellent success on mitigating the spread of the virus on our campus. Another shout out to the doctors and Student Health and the faculty and the staff and everyone who has come together, our students to make our environment safe.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State Alumni Association alumni engagement strategist, Carolyn Tatro, along with marketing program specialist, Noelle Husmann share information about the upcoming Future Educators Day.   Transcript   James Bell  The Fort Hays State University Alumni Association is getting ready for their popular future educators day later on this month, Alumni Engagement strategist, Carolyn Tatro, along with marketing program specialist, Noelle Husmann, from the Alumni Association stopped by to talk to us about that and more on this episode of the Post Podcast. There's also something cool going on down there. And this time is no different. But before we get into the new stuff, how was Homecoming?   Noelle Husmann  Homecoming was great. We had alums from not only all over Kansas, but we had some drive in from like Louisiana, California, all over to kind of come back to campus and see all the new changes and reconnect with classmates.   Carolyn Tatro  It was there were a lot of people who hadn't been back on campus in a really long time. And they all had a wonderful time, the weather actually turned out beautiful for us. We're really grateful for that.   James Bell  The parade was iffy, right?   Carolyn Tatro  A little bit. But you know what, it's slowed down a little bit there. Right, about halfway, I would say, but it was it turned out really great. And everybody had a great time. And, and, you know, I'm I think we're really looking forward to seeing what homecoming can become, you know, having a little bit of a break last year that we did with some of our events, we're looking forward to growing a lot of our events in the future. So it was a really great time.   James Bell  Awesome. Yeah. And it seemed like to me the little bit that I got to encounter, you know, everybody was just so excited to get back together. Right, right. You guys could have held the thing in a field, you know, and everybody would have had a good time.   Carolyn Tatro  Everybody was happy.   James Bell  Yeah, absolutely.   Carolyn Tatro  Yeah.   James Bell  What's making it homecoming. So one of the things that went on that weekend, they had the grant or not the groundbreaking but the ribbon cutting for the new Fischli Wills center. Last time I was in there, they were putting some finishing touches touches on there, but I think everything's ready to go at this point. Right?   Carolyn Tatro  That's right, actually as we speak. So the the new officially Fischli Wills Center for Student Success is up and running as we speak. And the admissions office is actually kicking off their newest portion of their prospective student experience, which is having students meet them in the Welcome Center, which is sort of one of the grand pieces of that Fischli Wills building and today's actually the first day that they're starting tours over there. So they're really excited to to begin working with that.   James Bell  Very cool. Yeah, I think the last last time we spoke about this, Joey Linn was with us. And yeah, what a cool unique like building and just a center, you know, it kind of brings together all those student services that are so important, you know, for the current students and also the prospective students and I can't imagine a cooler way to to see that start off to campus tour. But other than that, except for maybe the new art gallery in the old Power Plant. Oh, yeah,   Carolyn Tatro  that's a very cool experience. Yes,   James Bell  I drove by it the other day and I just I saw the paintings in the windows I drive my my way, what was that and I stopped and that is really cool.   Carolyn Tatro  It is very neat. If you ever get a chance to go in there and definitely stop in but I think the the Welcome Center all you know, there's always something exciting happening on campus. And that's just one of those things. And, you know, we always like to tell our alumni, there's lots of different ways that they can help the university grow and, and, you know, the welcome centers is part of that, that new Fischli Wills building is part of that. And I know another thing that's gotten a lot of really great feedback is the unveiling of the new regional tuition program. I was gonna say he has a solid offering for next year.   James Bell  Yeah. Okay. So because we have talked about this in the in the show before, maybe we should recap what the what we're talking a little bit before, basically, you get in state tuition from a laundry list of states. I don't know, how many is there?   Carolyn Tatro  So there's 13. Okay, I was gonna count, I was hoping you just know, 13 new state in addition to Kansas.   James Bell  So you have 14 different states. You're getting in state tuition right here at Fort Hays State University. Right? So it's kicking off fall next year? That's correct.   Carolyn Tatro  So students who are applying for this year, will be eligible for that starting next year students who are currently on campus will also be eligible for that starting next year.   James Bell  That's awesome, though. Yeah. And I just, you know, and look at some of the states I think about like Iowa, Illinois, you know, the ones that are a little bit further away from us this year, oh, haven't had a program like this available. I just got to believe there's going to be so many people come in here and take advantage of the wonderful education you can get a Fort Hays State University.   Carolyn Tatro  That's right. And we have alumni from all over the country and all of those different states. And so we're really excited that they're able to spread the word now, to our prospective students about about these new opportunities for them.   James Bell  You know, it's interesting, you mentioned that I wonder how important is it for for the alumni to be able to spread that word, you know, is that a huge recruiting tool for the school or is that kind of just a I don't know, you might say a bonus kind of recruiting structure.   Noelle Husmann  No, I think it's very important. We have a lot of families that attend many generations attend Fort Hays. I was just talking with someone he has like a fourth generation Tiger family. So it is pretty important for our alumni to spread that word to their perspective, either like family, relatives, friends, relatives of friends. It's a pretty large and important network.   Carolyn Tatro  That's right. And the people who work at the university, our admissions counselors, you know, we can they can only do you know, they can, they can only do so much to bring students here, they really have to, you know, they have the help of those alumni who will have their, their kids and their, their grandkids, their nieces and nephews really get to hear what their experience is about. So it's really a collaborative effort between those who are working at the university to bring students in and those who have the the experience in their families.   James Bell  Yeah, I know, I talked to my kids already there. My oldest ones are nine. But I'm already talked to about Fort Hays State. rarely go But yeah, I remember Yeah, my oldest son, we got one of those Tiger hats that were really popular like three years ago, literally the tiger, the big Tiger on the head with the things that Yeah, dangle down, loves it. Still wears that thing. Absolutely. And it's a lot of fun. I would wear it if I've got a big head. But anyway, yeah, so it's really cool thing, you know, the admissions teams, those departments have done a really good job. But we want to shift gears a little bit here and talk about something you've got coming up. It's a popular event, I think down there on campus, and that's future educators day that's on the way, right?   Carolyn Tatro  That's right. So future educators day is actually something that the university has done for a number of years, within the teacher education department. And of course, our College of Education is incredibly popular, and incredibly successful. We have teachers from all over the state all over the country who attended Fort Hays and are part of Tiger teacher nation. And so they're just trying to bring that again to prospective students give students an opportunity to see what it's like to be a teacher education major, and meet the Kansas Teacher of the Year. So they're kind of they're really excited about how this event is going to grow in the future to bring more students into our College of Education.   James Bell  Yeah, that's awesome, and what a great, you know, program, the I I've known several people that went through the program directly, you know, and they're teaching now, and I've also, in recent years known a lot of people my age that have went back and they've done that transition to teaching program. Yes, that's unnecessary that the department as well, I believe.   Carolyn Tatro  Right. Yeah. Right. It's, you know, there's a lot of different ways that you can take the route of, you know, through teacher education, and so students who maybe know what sort of what they want to do, but maybe they don't know the direction to take, they really don't know, if there's a special area that they want to, you know, teach and an opportunity, like, this is really great. And it again, really helps to have our alumni, you know, our incredible teachers who have gone through this program, they will bring their students in to campus for this day. So they'll be able to kind of see along with their students, what things have progressed at the university, and what opportunities await them. Yeah, absolutely.   James Bell  And, you know, I think, too, with with education, especially, it's one of those fields that, you know, having that hands on experience, actually seeing what you're going to do is is very valuable, what you know, to help shape what you might want to teach, but also really, like, what area do I want to teach is that, you know, high school kids grade school kids, I want to get into a college, a junior in college, you know, tech school, so many options there. So that's awesome that they get to explore that. Suzanne Stevenson, that's the Teacher of the Year, right?   Carolyn Tatro  That's right, she'll be there. She's going to be presenting to, to students in the teachers and counselors who bring them. And so I think it's just gonna be a really incredible day. It's October 27. So it is coming up. And I know that they're looking forward to having lots of students and teachers come back for that. Really great things that, you know, I think they're just really looking forward to showcasing.   James Bell  Absolutely. So if people want to be involved in that, what's the easiest or best way to get information or sign up maybe.   Carolyn Tatro  So they can sign up to the university website, and they can contact the admissions office. They're the ones that are sort of primarily hosting this event. And our alumni staff can answer some questions as well. I know, as we have a little bit of knowledge of some of these kinds of events that happened. So really am anybody at the university? The Alumni Association, the admissions office, Teacher Education, they can answer all of those questions if they're interested. Very cool.   James Bell  Now, we just got a couple minutes left, but we want to talk about this as well, that you're, you know, I know, President Mason's out she doing the media tour, I think right now, actually. But you've also got some counselors out there spreading the good word, right?   Carolyn Tatro  Yes, absolutely. The admissions counselors are back on the road, and they were not able to make it into too many high schools last year. And so they're very excited to be visiting in schools, at college fairs and different events that are out happening out there for prospective students and they're also doing a phenomenal job of informing you know, people on social media, where they're going to be and so if you know, anybody, if a student or an alumni who wants to bring their students to visit with the admissions counselor they can find them on social media they'll find out where they're going to be that week and meet up with them if they're going to be in that area.   James Bell  Very cool and when you say social media you guys have your own alumni page right? Matter of fact I think there's probably about 90 Facebook pages for Fort Hays State depending on what department   Carolyn Tatro  You are going to miss what's going on at Fort Hays State everybody's got something out there.   James Bell  Absolutely. Well guys, we get we're almost out of time here. Any last thoughts before we go?   Noelle Husmann  Sure. Uh, with admissions starting the tours, they are waving the application fee for anyone who comes and visits campus.   Carolyn Tatro  Right.   Noelle Husmann  So if you have someone that wants to check out Fort Hays bring them sooner rather than later so they can get that fee waived. And then also this Saturday, is Tiger Day.   Carolyn Tatro  See a lot more students on campus this weekend because it's Tiger Day admissions is hosting their annual Tiger Day event for prospective high school students or transfer students so there'll be checking out campus I think they're getting tickets to the football game as well. So they're going to be all over campus on Saturday.   Noelle Husmann  Yep, a lot of gold going on right?   James Bell  Love it. It's UCO, this weekend, right? We're gonna we're gonna win. I'm confident. No, I am. I said this was the homecoming game. So I'm just throwing that out there. Okay. My mother in law so you're gonna win this game. I look at her say we're gonna win. And look what happens.   Carolyn Tatro  Everybody needs to stay for the whole game this time because you never know what's gonna happen.   Noelle Husmann  True. True.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Terry Crull, director of choral activities at Fort Hays State University talks about their upcoming production of The Music Man.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association communication coordinator Noelle Husmann and alumni engagement strategist Carolyn Tatro share information about the upcoming FHSU homecoming.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University president Tisa Mason talks about FHSU reopening.

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State chief communications officer Scott Cason talks about summer activities on the campus.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University Alumni Association interim executive director Tammy Wellbrock and communications coordinator Noelle Husmann share information about FHSU tags.