FHSU Sports Information Department
It is with great sadness that the Fort Hays State Athletic Department, the community of Hays, and Tiger Athletics community mourns the loss of former Assistant Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator/Compliance Director/Academic Coordinator Carolyn Bird. She passed away on October 28, 2015, due to health complications that she had been battling for a prolonged amount of time. Bird retired from her long-time position in the fall of 2014. The university offers its condolences to her family.
Bird spent 23 years of her career working with Fort Hays State’s student-athletes and 25 years total at the university. She started a study program for student-athletes at FHSU in 1991 at the request of then FHSU President Dr. Edward H. Hammond and Athletic Director Tom Spicer. Under her guidance as Academic Coordinator for Athletics, the program continued to grow, creating the need for a Technology and Learning Center created in 2002. The center was renamed the Carolyn Bird Technology and Learning Center in her honor in the spring of 2015.
Bird’s role grew to Assistant Athletic Director, Senior Woman Administrator, and Director of Compliance while serving on numerous athletic committees for FHSU at the conference and NCAA level. Her efforts significantly made an impact on the lives of many student-athletes through the years, while graduation rates and grade point averages improved significantly as a result of her selfless leadership.
Bird worked with numerous coaches, administrators, and student-athletes in her 25 years of service to Fort Hays State University. She will be greatly missed by the Fort Hays State Athletics community, the community of Hays, and the countless individuals that she impacted in her time at Fort Hays State University.
Funeral services will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, November 3, 2015, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays. Visitation will be Monday, November 2 from 5:30-8:00 pm at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
A reception will be held at the Schmidt-Bickle Indoor Training Facility (101 Elm Street in Hays) immediately following the funeral service.