Fort Hays State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Western Branch of the Kansas Normal School (1902–1914) Fort Hays Kansas State Normal School (1914–1923) Kansas State Teachers College of Hays (1923–1931) Fort Hays State College (1931–1977) |
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| Motto | "Forward thinking. World ready." |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1902 |
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Parent institution
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Kansas Board of Regents |
| Accreditation | HLC |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $116.5 million (2020) |
| Budget | $155.5 million |
| President | Tisa Mason |
| Provost | Jill Arensdorf |
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Academic staff
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851 |
| Students | 12,843 (Fall 2023) |
| Location |
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United States
38°52′24″N 99°20′36″W / 38.87333°N 99.34333°W |
| Campus | Remote town, 200 acres (0.81 km2) |
| Media | Tiger Media Network |
| Colors | Black and Gold |
| Nickname | Tigers |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Victor E. Tiger |
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Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a public university located in Hays, Kansas. It is the biggest university in western Kansas. FHSU is also the fourth-largest of the six state universities in Kansas. About 15,100 students attend FHSU, either on campus or online.
Contents
History of Fort Hays State University
FHSU started in 1902. It was first called the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School. A "normal school" was a place that trained teachers.
The university was built on the land of an old military fort called Fort Hays. This fort closed in 1889. The school helped early settlers in the area get an education. The first building closer to Hays was finished in 1904. That's when the university moved to where it is today.
FHSU was first meant to be an agricultural school. But it quickly became a normal school for teachers. For many years, the university's dairy farm even supplied fresh milk to the school cafeteria!
In 1951, there was a big flood. A stream called Big Creek flooded almost the entire campus. Everyone had to leave the campus in the middle of the night.
University Leaders
Fort Hays State University has had many leaders, called presidents, since it began. The current president is Tisa Mason, who started in 2017.
The Campus
The main campus of FHSU is very large. It covers about 200 acres (0.81 km2). The state of Kansas owns even more land, about 4,160 acres (16.8 km2), that belongs to the university.
The campus has over 40 buildings. Many of them are made with local limestone. Big Creek flows through the campus. It makes the campus beautiful and is also a natural lab for science students. The campus is just west of downtown Hays. Many local businesses are there to serve FHSU students.
Buildings at FHSU
Many buildings at Fort Hays State University are named after important people. Others are special because of their history.
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is a really cool place at the university. It has fun, hands-on exhibits about nature and science. There are also many traveling exhibits that visit.
The museum has a huge collection of fossils. It has over 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of dinosaurs, mosasaurs (giant sea reptiles), pterosaurs (flying reptiles), and ancient fish. These creatures lived in Kansas over 70 to 80 million years ago!
The museum also has millions of other specimens. These include collections of rocks, plants, insects, fish, birds, and mammals. Many of the exhibits are named after George F. Sternberg. He was a famous fossil hunter who helped build the museum.
In 2010, scientists at the museum made an exciting discovery. They showed that fish that ate tiny ocean creatures (plankton) lived at the same time as dinosaurs. This helped fill a 106-million-year gap in the fossil record!
Academics
FHSU has five main parts, called "colleges." These colleges have 31 departments. They offer over 60 different study programs, called "majors," for students getting their first degree. They also have 20 programs for students who want to continue their studies after college.
Public Affairs Programs
The university hosts the Sebelius Lecture Series each year. This series is named after Keith Sebelius, a former U.S. Representative. He graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1941. Each semester, important national leaders visit the campus to give speeches.
Athletics
The sports teams at Fort Hays State are called the Tigers. They compete in NCAA Division II sports. Most of their teams play in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The men's soccer team plays in the Great American Conference (GAC).
Fort Hays State has 18 different sports teams.
- Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field, and wrestling.
- Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
Basketball Success
The Fort Hays State basketball teams have won four national championships!
- The men's team won national titles in 1984 and 1985 (NAIA). They also won in 1996 (NCAA Division II) with an amazing 34 wins and 0 losses!
- The women's team won a national title in 1991 (NAIA).
Cross Country Champions
The men's cross country team has won four national championships. They won in 1963, 1965, 1968, and 1969.
Baseball Achievements
The baseball team was the national runner-up in NCAA Division II in 2000.
Shooting Sports
The FHSU shooting team took 3rd place in 2009. This was in the American Trap event at a national competition.
Victor E. Tiger, the Mascot
The Tiger has been the mascot for FHSU since 1914. No one is quite sure how it started. It might have been the idea of W.A. Lewis, an early president of the school.
Many different tiger images have been used over the years. But on April 3, 2000, the current mascot was shown for the first time. This is now the only official image of the FHSU Tiger. On September 9, 2000, the mascot was officially named Victor E. Tiger. You can see the costumed Victor E. Tiger at sports games and other university events.
Oktoberfest and Homecoming Weekend
Every year, Fort Hays State has a special celebration called Oktoberfest. It celebrates the German heritage of the people in Ellis County. It happens in Frontier Park in downtown Hays. This is on the Friday before FHSU's homecoming weekend.
At Oktoberfest, you can hear polka music and find booths selling German food and drinks. The first barrel of beer is tapped around 11:00 a.m., which officially starts the festival.
On Saturday morning, there is a homecoming parade. Student groups decorate floats or walk in the parade to show their FHSU spirit. The homecoming football game is played on Saturday afternoon.
Student Media
Students at Fort Hays run their own media. It's called Tiger Media Network. They have radio and TV programs. You can find their work on their website, tigermedianet.com.
Famous People Who Went to FHSU
Many interesting people have attended Fort Hays State University. Here are a few:
- Vashone Adams, an NFL football player
- Steve Crosby, an NFL player, scout, and coach
- Sheila Frahm, a former Lieutenant Governor and U.S. Senator for Kansas
- Kris Kuksi, a visual artist
- Mike McCarthy, an NFL Head Coach
- Nola Ochs, who became the world's oldest college graduate at 95 in 2007!
- Pillar, a band that formed at the university
- Nathan Shepherd, an NFL football player
- Mickey Spillane, a famous detective novelist (he attended for one year)
Images for kids
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Albertson Hall
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Gross Memorial Coliseum
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Malloy Hall
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Pickens Hall
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Plymouth Schoolhouse
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Sternberg Museum of Natural History
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Tomanek Hall
